Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council hosts reunion

Almost two decades since its inception, former members of the Gastonia Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council reunited to reflect on the group’s accomplishments.

In 2001, then Gastonia Mayor Jennie Stultz and Walker Reid, who now serves as mayor of Gastonia, formed a Mayor’s Youth Council with a mission to engage emerging leaders from local high schools and to involve them in community problem-solving, and addressing social issues.

On Dec. 26, Stultz and Reid organized an 18-year reunion to celebrate past members who had served, graduated from college and are now in their own professional positions nationwide and locally. Twenty-seven present and former members attended the reunion held at Gastonia City Hall to discuss successes, challenges and present-day issues. Work commitments and holiday travel prevented some former members from attending the event.

“I hope you all have a new realization of how influential you are and what an impact you’ve made in your high school, college and now your professional lives,” Reid said, to attendees. “This is one of my proudest moments.”

The Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council has initiated significant programs in its history.

Through its “Teen Pregnancy” directive, the members created a “Making Good Choices” game to take to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Gaston. The members held small group sessions with the children to guide and mentor them in making the right decision when there is no adult or supervision nearby.

In the “Project Tassel” directive, members created and distributed 1,100 surveys to their peers in the junior class of their high schools. The survey asked questions directed at whether the student had ever considered dropping out, what would keep them from dropping out, and what ideas they may have to reduce the school dropout rate. The group’s members felt their fellow students would answer candidly and that the voice of the students could make a change in the strenuous graduation requirements.

The results of the survey were presented to the Gaston County Board of Education and are considered the catalyst for the school board eliminating a once-mandatory graduating project.

Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council invited former Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason and the Gastonia-born basketball great James Worthy to speak to local high school students about staying in school. This program became a significant piece of the 2010 All America City Award application “and was the clinch pin for the national win,” reads a media release. Worthy joined group members on stage at the Kansas City All-America event.

Stultz said one of the most remarkable revelations of the evening was how many former members are working in Charlotte and Gastonia, praising the Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce for working “diligently to inspire our graduates to bring their talents and professional skills, as well as their volunteer passions back to our area.”

“There are so many of our Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council alumni who have remarkable careers and are dedicated volunteers in the communities where they now live,” said Stultz. “I truly believe it all began here, in Gastonia, where we all became family through Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council.”

Gastonia residents who are in grades nine through 11 and maintain at least a 2.25 GPA can apply to become members of the Gastonia Mayor's Youth Leadership Council. For more information and to learn how to apply, visit http://www.cityofgastonia.com/mayor-s-youth-leadership-council.html or the group's Facebook page.

You can reach Eric Wildstein at 704-869-1828 or Twitter.com/TheGazetteEric.

Where are they now?

Here's what many former Gastonia Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council members are up to these days. Many were in attendance at a reunion last month. Profiles have been provided by Gastonia Mayor's Youth Leadership Council.

• Vernisha Crawford graduated from Ashbrook High and UNC Charlotte, is now an entrepreneur in Charlotte as a life coach and consultant in youth leadership development. She became inspired by her work on the MYLC as well as Community Foundation’s Teens Changing Gaston County, where she became involved in youth philanthropy and civic engagement.

• Aaron Rohlman graduated valedictorian at Hunter Huss High and went on to UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a scholar athlete and played on the National NCAA Championship basketball team in 2017. He is applying to medical school and wants to specialize in pediatric oncology.

• Andrew Carter graduated from Highland School of Technology and graduated from Appalachian State University. He majored in international business and public relations, and is exploring careers in Munich, Germany.

• Alyssa Barrera graduated from Highland School of Technology, was a competitive gymnast in high school and graduated from Auburn University. She is a commercial interior designer in Charlotte and lives in Mount Holly.

• Ovie Sido graduated from Ashbrook High and went to UNC Chapel Hill. He is a network engineer at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.

• Walter Burks graduated from Highland Tech and East Carolina University and served as president of the senior class in both educational institutions. Walter and his wife, Heather, are professional photographers, traveling internationally. The Burks live in Gastonia and are instrumental in many local activities and chair Young Adults of Gastonia.

• Matt Murrow graduated from Hunter Huss and UNC Charlotte, graduating in business and economics. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey where he is a product analyst for Newell Brands that touts products such as: Oster, Mr. Coffee, Sunbeam, Rubbermaid, Coleman, Graco, Sharpie and Paper Mate.

• Jack Rosemond graduated from Hunter Huss and N.C. State University and works on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. as a special assistant to Congressman Kevin McCarthy of California.

• Joey Blake graduated from Hunter Huss and was a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill. He is in his second year of law school at Vanderbilt University.

• Clay Hackney graduated from Highland Tech and was a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill. He was a junior economist in China at Peking University and is now a research analyst at the International Monetary Fund. He is applying to law schools at this time.

• Luke Howe graduated from Ashbrook and UNC Asheville. He is Director of Philanthropy Mission Hospital’s Blue Ridge Regional Hospitals in Mitchell, Yancey and Avery counties, and Mission McDowell Hospital in McDowell, Burke, Polk and Rutherford counties.

• Rachel Purvis graduated from Ashbrook High and UNC Chapel Hill, and is working in the field of dentistry in Charlotte.

• Breanna (Breezy Howe) graduated from Ashbrook High and will graduate in May from Appalachian State University in the field of special education.

• Stephen Carpenter graduated from Ashbrook High and N.C. State University and worked with the U.S. Forest Service in Utah before returning home to Gastonia to teach at Highland School of Technology.

• Joe Carson graduated from Hunter Huss High and N.C. State University and is a content outreach specialist at Red Ventures in Charlotte. His volunteer passion is working with the Dream Center in Charlotte, which provides services, mentoring and meets needs of underserved children and youth.

• Mandy Deal graduated from Hunter Huss High and Appalachian State University and has been a special education teacher at Webb Street School for seven years.

• Danielle Bowman graduated from Hunter Huss High and UNC Chapel Hill and teaches Spanish at Ashbrook High School.

• Joseph Buckner graduated from Forestview High in 2018 and is attending UNC Chapel Hill studying public policy.

• Crocker Baker graduated from Stuart W. Cramer High and is attending Clemson University studying business management.

• Laura Paschall has graduated from UNC Medical School and is awaiting her assignment to begin her internship.

• Anna Paschall is a medical student at Duke University.

• Luis Rios is a graduate of Highland Tech and UNC Chapel Hill as a Teaching Fellow. He was named Teacher of the Year for Orange County, N.C. for 2018.

• Juliana Perez who came to the U.S. from Colombia, has recently become a U.S. Citizen, has graduated from UNC Charlotte and is a flight attendant for American Airlines.

• Austin Rohlman graduated valedictorian for Hunter Huss High and is serving in Alaska with the U.S. Air Force.

Where are they now?

Here's what many of the former Gastonia Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council members are up to these days. Many were in attendance at a reunion last month. Profiles have been provided by Gastonia Mayor's Youth Leadership Council.

• Vernisha Crawford graduated from Ashbrook High and UNC Charlotte, is now an entrepreneur in Charlotte as a life coach and consultant in youth leadership development. She became inspired by her work on the MYLC as well as Community Foundation’s Teens Changing Gaston County, where she became involved in youth philanthropy and civic engagement.

• Aaron Rohlman graduated valedictorian at Hunter Huss High and went on to UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a scholar athlete and played on the National NCAA Championship basketball team in 2017. He is applying to medical school and wants to specialize in pediatric oncology.

• Andrew Carter graduated from Highland School of Technology and graduated from Appalachian State University. He majored in international business and public relations, and is exploring careers in Munich, Germany.

• Alyssa Barrera graduated from Highland School of Technology, was a competitive gymnast in high school and graduated from Auburn University. She is a commercial interior designer in Charlotte and lives in Mount Holly.

• Ovie Sido graduated from Ashbrook High and went to UNC Chapel Hill. He is a network engineer at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte.

• Walter Burks graduated from Highland Tech and East Carolina University and served as president of the senior class in both educational institutions. Walter and his wife, Heather, are professional photographers, traveling internationally. The Burks live in Gastonia and are instrumental in many local activities and chair Young Adults of Gastonia.

• Matt Murrow graduated from Hunter Huss and UNC Charlotte, graduating in business and economics. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey where he is a product analyst for Newell Brands that touts products such as: Oster, Mr. Coffee, Sunbeam, Rubbermaid, Coleman, Graco, Sharpie and Paper Mate.

• Jack Rosemond graduated from Hunter Huss and N.C. State University and works on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. as a special assistant to Congressman Kevin McCarthy of California.

• Joey Blake graduated from Hunter Huss and was a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill. He is in his second year of law school at Vanderbilt University.

• Clay Hackney graduated from Highland Tech and was a Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill. He was a junior economist in China at Peking University and is now a research analyst at the International Monetary Fund. He is applying to law schools at this time.

• Luke Howe graduated from Ashbrook and UNC Asheville. He is director of Philanthropy Mission Hospital’s Blue Ridge Regional Hospitals in Mitchell, Yancey and Avery counties, and Mission McDowell Hospital in McDowell, Burke, Polk and Rutherford counties.

• Rachel Purvis graduated from Ashbrook High and UNC Chapel Hill, and is working in the field of dentistry in Charlotte.

• Breanna (Breezy Howe) graduated from Ashbrook High and will graduate in May from Appalachian State University in the field of special education.

• Stephen Carpenter graduated from Ashbrook High and N.C. State University and worked with the U.S. Forest Service in Utah before returning home to Gastonia to teach at Highland School of Technology.

• Joe Carson graduated from Hunter Huss High and N.C. State University and is a content outreach specialist at Red Ventures in Charlotte. His volunteer passion is working with the Dream Center in Charlotte, which provides services, mentoring and meets needs of underserved children and youth.

• Mandy Deal graduated from Hunter Huss High and Appalachian State University and has been a special education teacher at Webb Street School for seven years.

• Danielle Bowman graduated from Hunter Huss High and UNC Chapel Hill and teaches Spanish at Ashbrook High School.

• Joseph Buckner graduated from Forestview High in 2018 and is attending UNC Chapel Hill studying public policy.

• Crocker Baker graduated from Stuart W. Cramer High and is attending Clemson University studying business management.

• Laura Paschall has graduated from UNC Medical School and is awaiting her assignment to begin her internship.

• Anna Paschall is a medical student at Duke University.

• Luis Rios is a graduate of Highland Tech and UNC Chapel Hill as a Teaching Fellow. He was named Teacher of the Year for Orange County for 2018.

• Juliana Perez who came to the U.S. from Colombia, has recently become a U.S. citizen, has graduated from UNC Charlotte and is a flight attendant for American Airlines.

• Austin Rohlman graduated valedictorian for Hunter Huss High and is serving in Alaska with the U.S. Air Force.