Kids With Big Leadership Dreams: This Retreat Is For You

Rochester's leaders of today are getting ready to help groom the leaders of tomorrow.

The Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce is choosing 16 students from Rochester high schools to participate in a two-day Youth Leadership Retreat this summer on the campus of Rochester College.

The retreat will be designed to foster leadership, community involvement and civic responsibility in the chosen youth.

"We know these will be phenomenal students," said Sheri Heiney, executive director of the Chamber.

The retreat will include a session with law enforcement and with the courts, as well as sessions in medical (with ), arts (with ) and history (with the ).

The retreat will be held June 22-23.

Applications are available at the Chamber and at www.rrc-mi.com.

To be considered, applicants must have a minimum 2.75 grade point average and be active in church or community service. The students must attend Rochester Community Schools. An official transcript, two letters of recommendation and an essay are part of the application. Participants will receive a scholarship to attend the retreat.

"After the leadership program weekend, it is hopeful that the participating students will continue with their community service throughout the school year, using the skills they have learned in the program," stated a description of the program mission.

The program is sponsored by , which is also a sponsor of the Hometown Christmas Parade. During the retreat, Genisys will create a committee to select junior grand marshals for the Christmas parade; a male and female will be selected from the leadership retreat and will each receive a $1,000 scholarship.

The Chamber youth retreat is on the heels of another youth leadership summit in the city. On March 10, students from across southeast Michigan will participate in the second Youth Leadership in Local Government Summit at Rochester Hills City Hall.