Hartfield Students Participated in Lott Leadership Institute

The Lott Leadership Institute is a selective summer program for rising ninth and 12th grade students designed to develop leadership skills through hands-on learning and exposure to government, law, public policy, and civic engagement.

Being selected is an honor in itself. Students are nominated and complete an application process before being chosen, giving participants the opportunity to learn alongside other young leaders from different schools and communities.

For Hannah, the program provided a hands-on look at several areas she is already interested in pursuing. Her group spent time in a courtroom, studied court cases and state law, met with a state representative, participated in mock trials, and even walked through the process of passing a bill. But one of the most meaningful parts of the experience was the people she met. “My favorite thing was meeting new people, especially people who had the same career interests as me,” Hannah said. “I did a lot of networking.”

One of those connections was with an attorney who works in civil rights, constitutional law, and human rights. Hannah spent two hours talking with him about his career and asking questions about a field she hopes to pursue one day. She said the relationships she built have continued even after the program ended, and she is still in contact with several of the people she met.

Ady Beth also enjoyed the opportunity to be surrounded by students with different perspectives and ideas. For her, some of the best parts of the program came through the conversations that happened throughout the experience. “I really liked hearing other people’s opinions,” she said. “It was cool to meet so many different people and have discussions about all kinds of topics.”

Colin shared a similar experience, saying he especially enjoyed getting to know the other students in the program. “There were so many great leaders there, and it was really nice getting close to them,” he said. More than that, Colin said the program gave him a better understanding of what leadership can look like close to home. “I really took away how to better lead in your community and how a community functions.”

For all three students, Lott Leadership offered the chance to step outside of what was familiar, learn from others, and grow in the way they think about leadership. Hannah summed it up well when she said, “Nothing could put a price on the experience and the life lessons I took from it.”

We are proud of Ady Beth, Colin, and Hannah for representing Hartfield well and taking advantage of an opportunity that challenged them to learn, grow, and lead.