High school students across the state attend ninth annual Palazzo Youth Leadership Summit

High school juniors and seniors from across South Mississippi came together on the MGCCC Harrison County campus to attend the ninth annual Palazzo Youth Leadership Summit.

Over 258 students from 30 different high schools from across the state joined together inside the IMPAC Center to hear personal testimonies and leadership advice from several prestigious guests. MGCCC President Dr. Mary Graham said, “The whole point is to develop and grow our future leaders to really give them some inspiration and tips on leadership.”

Mississippi Veterans Affairs Executive Director Stacey Pickering was a guest speaker at the event and talked about the importance of following your dreams and never giving up. “If you don’t try, it’s an automatic failure in life. So, be willing to try, even if that’s blood, sweat, and tears, a little dust under your finger nails, be willing to try and then you will succeed.”

Students browsed from table to table getting information on different universities and jobs across the area. “We just wanted to give them the tools and resources that they need to make good decisions and to make early decisions. A lot of folks don’t realize that the earlier you apply for scholarships, the better opportunities exist.”

Anna Price-Mattox, a junior at Columbia Academy, is already on the path to success, participating in many activities within her school including being class president. “It’s really kind of great to be surrounded by people that have the same goals as I do and the same kind of motivation and desires in life as me.”

Mattox says a leader to her is someone who is always willing to step up to the plate and do the right thing. “They are willing to put themselves out there and be able to say ‘hey, this is what I think and this is what needs to be done to fix this’ and they are confident.”