Juniors Graduate from Isle of Wight Student Leadership Institute

Six members of NSA's Class of 2026 have learned invaluable lessons from local leaders and their peers after graduating from the region's first high school leadership program.

The Isle of Wight Student Leadership Institute is sponsored by Smithfield Foods and the Town of Smithfield and was launched by the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce in 2013. Each year, juniors from NSA and other local schools are invited to apply to participate. The students who are selected to participate attend monthly meetings from September through April, where they learn about team building, utilizing resources, building self-confidence and making a difference in their communities. An ethics component is also built into each class. 

Jossy Byars '26, Paxton Gould '26, Madison Pursel '26, Aubrey Rountree '26, Christina Tabet '26 and Matthew Taylor '26 attended the Student Leadership Institute this year. Facilitators for this year's class were Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce President Marci Levine, Isle of Wight County Supervisor Renee Rountree, Isle of Wight Economic Development Coordinator Nicole Talton and GirlTREK Vice President of Philanthrophy and Partnerships Jamilia Shipman.

Congratulations to Jossy, Paxton, Madison, Aubrey, Christina and Matthew!