Leadership Niagara: 100 youth prepared to lead in their communities

Largest class ever to graduate from Leadership Niagara's LYNC program

Leadership Niagara will graduate 100 local students from its youth leadership development program, LYNC, at 6 p.m. tonight at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County's Training Center in Lockport.

Representing 13 Niagara County and Erie County high schools, Leadership Niagara student leaders have heard from industry experts and community leaders throughout the course of the eight-month program. They've received learning leadership development concepts and principles, and developed problem-solving, communication, diversity and inclusion, teamwork and collaboration skills. The LYNC students have had executive-level coaches and mentors to guide them through each month's session and through team projects.

As part of the graduation, students will receive their certificates and take what they learned to present solutions for problems that face their communities.

More than 250 students, parents, mentors and school representatives will be in attendance.

Leadership Niagara earned fully funded scholarships for 100 students per year to participate in the LYNC program through a grant made possible through the support of the Irene Witkowski Agrawal Foundation. In addition, over 60 volunteers, 12 organizations and 13 school coordinators helped make this year's program a success.

Participating schools in 2014-15 include: Barker, Grand Island, Lewiston-Porter, Lockport, Newfane, Niagara Academy, Niagara Catholic, Niagara Falls, Niagara-Wheatfield, North Tonawanda, Royalton-Hartland, Starpoint and Wilson high schools.