A local leadership program is offering residents a deeper look into how their community operates — and how they can be part of its future.
“Leadership Hopkinsville is a unique way to see the ins and outs of the community and how different aspects of the community work together,” said Wende Aldridge, chair of the Leadership Committee. “You get to visit different companies, different buildings, and meet lots of people.”
The program is designed to show how agriculture, education, government, and business are interconnected.
“So you get to find out how is agriculture working within our education community, how is education working within our government community, and how it all ties together to make the community one,” Aldridge said.
Leadership Hopkinsville-Christian County offers two programs — one for high school students and one for adults.
“Youth is for our high school students, and they apply, and we usually accept a certain number,” Aldridge said. “This year’s class has been picked, and they’ll start up again in August.”
For adults, applications are still open.
“For the adult program, our applications are due May 20th, and we will pick at least 20 members,” Aldridge said. “We’ll push it to maybe 25 members, but anyone can apply.”
While there is a fee to participate, Aldridge said financial assistance is available.
“There is a fee to participate, but we do have scholarship opportunities for those who couldn’t afford the full tuition scholarship,” she said. “But a lot of times employers are so grateful to have employees wanting to participate that they will sponsor and pay for those employees to attend.”
The adult program begins in August and runs through May. Participants meet once a month for themed sessions focused on different areas of the community.
“The first class day is in August, and then our graduation is in May,” Aldridge said. “They meet once a month to do a specific day, such as government day, such as education day, military day, agriculture, business and industry.”
In addition to monthly meetings, participants also work together outside of class time on a group service project.
“They’ll also meet as a group individually outside of those days to participate in what they consider their class project,” she said. “This year it’s Jeffers Bend, and we always try to pick a program within the community where they can put their time and resources in to help build that agency up.”
Aldridge said the sessions are engaging and active, often involving site visits across the county.
“We go on site,” she said. “We will have days and times within days that we may have a panel come in and talk to us… but most of the time we are up and moving and touring, and from one place to another within the day. It’s definitely tiring days, but they’re so well worth it.”
While participants learn about how the community operates, they also gain insight into themselves.
“Leadership is more than learning about the community also, because you get a chance to learn about yourself and how you interact with others and how people perceive you,” Aldridge said. “But it also gives you a chance to interact and meet new people within the community that you may have never gotten the opportunity to meet otherwise.”
Updates and application information are shared online.
“We have a Facebook page, a Leadership Christian County Facebook page, and they can follow that,” Aldridge said. “We post stuff on there all the time. But also follow the Chamber’s website, we post on there and we post when applications are open and it’s time to reapply. But usually applications will open up in April sometime, and we will announce classes usually in July.”
