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OSWEGO – Leadership Oswego County’s 2024 class recently hosted a Gen Z Leadership Retreat for high school students from across the county, emphasizing different skills and attributes while taking part in structured activities geared toward future leaders.

The event was held May 7 at the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi), and featured several educators and local industry leaders from throughout the county, geared at preparing the next wave of leaders starting at the school level.

“The students who attended this retreat have very bright futures. Each of them showed leadership in their own unique way,” said City of Oswego Economic Development Specialist Mattison Peet. “Understanding leadership is one thing, understanding and bringing those concepts to life is even bigger.”

The current class from Leadership Oswego County, which is comprised of leaders and aspiring leaders from the county aiming to bolster their own skills and networks, planned the activity, affording about two dozen motivated students this opportunity.

“I’m immensely proud of the 2024 Leadership Oswego County class for bravely embracing a new challenge with the youth leadership retreat,” said Brian Heffron, Administrator of Workforce Development and Community Relations at CiTi. “By investing in our future generation, we’re sowing the seeds for a brighter, more progressive Oswego County. Together, we’re nurturing the leaders who will shape our community’s tomorrow.”

Students first heard from local leader and the inspirational story of Tim Conners, the city of Fulton native who beat cancer, though was blinded, and went on to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and ride across the U.S. on a tandem bicycle. Students also did a variety of leadership-oriented activities, including some which could be used for a large group while in the college or future management setting.

Activities also focused on finding individual strengths, the critical importance of active listening and teamwork.

“It was great to see the youth of our county stepping outside of their comfort zone and immersing themselves in each activity,” said Peet, who herself graduated from Mexico Academy & Central School District.

CiTi’s Heffron echoed those sentiments.

“Empowering Oswego County’s youth with leadership training not only cultivates essential skills and community engagement but also ignites a legacy of confident, capable leaders poised to shape a brighter future for our region,” he said.

The retreat was sponsored by the Richard S. Shineman Foundation, Oswego County Youth Bureau, Pathfinder Bank, Fulton Sunrise Rotary, Valti Graphics, Upwards Graphics, Man in the Moon Candies and the SUNY Division of Extended Learning.

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