By Ashley Johnson

The Selma Times-Journal

 

The Leadership Selma-Dallas County Class XVIII concluded its course Tuesday evening with a graduation and awards ceremony that reflected on the accomplishments of the class. In early March the class raised $5,000 for the Salvation Army with proceeds from their inaugural Alabama River Chili Cookoff held on Water Avenue.

Both graduating class members and alumni mingled and took part in the ceremony held at Tally-Ho restaurant in Selma. Each graduating member received an obelisk, marble trophy to commemorate their completion.

The course kicked off in August of 2011 with a two-day retreat built around team bonding. Then throughout the year the class met once a month, led by director Carolyn Powell, and together experienced different aspects of the city. They toured the Dallas County Jail, learned more about the Selma Police Department, dined at BOSCO Nutrition Center and learned more about industrial plants around town like Henry Brick and International Paper just to name a few outings.

“Until you are in this course you do not see all of the benefits of this course,” Powell said. “You go to places in town, touch, feel and see rather than sitting in a classroom. In turn it changes you.”

During the evening, the class voted class members Tim Reeves and Ebony Rose to the Leadership Selma-Dallas County Board of Directors.

In a separate vote — the first unanimous vote in the program’s history — the class voted classmate Dewauna Vinson as the Harriet Bates Award winner.

Former recipient Jeff Harrison presented the award to Vinson and said he was “tickled” to announce it would go to her. “Being voted on by your peers is the highest honor in my book,” Harrison said.

Chairmen of the Leadership Selma-Dallas County board Anne Thomas challenged the graduates to go out and make a difference by utilizing all of the lessons learned throughout the leadership course.

“Class XVIII has already shown us, in an incredible way, how they can see a need and then fulfill that need by the work they did with the Alabama River Chili Cookoff,” Thomas said.

Thomas says she hopes as these graduates go forth, they will see where they can plug in their individual talent to make a difference.

“Everyone will be called to different things,” Thomas said.

Class XVIII member Leslie Free has lived in Selma for 30 years now. She says she learned new things even being a long time resident and got to see how much Selma really has to offer in the last nine months.

“My favorite part of the experience was the tour of the Cahaba Mental Health facility. There was so much talent in the ceramics department and the consumers used so much detail in their painting,” Free said.

So inspired by the talents of the consumers, the class partnered with the ceramics class to complete the ceramic chillies awarded to the winners of the inaugural Alabama River Chili Cookoff.

To close Tuesday’s ceremony, Class XVIII awarded their director, Powell, with “The Lifetime Pepper Award,” using one of the ceramic chili peppers from their chili cookoff to show their appreciation.

Powell, who will be stepping down as director after 11 years, still plans to remain involved as an alumnus with the program.

Members of the class included: Jessica Hope, Becky Glaze, Ivy Harrison, Ebony Rose, Christie Thomas, Leslie Free, Sharon Johnson, Dewauna Vinson, Christy Smitherman, Addison Aman, Calvin Blake, Tim Reeves, Mark Fraiser, Dr. Brett Wood, Kirk Johnson, Matt McHugh, Hart Sims, David White and Marsha Sanchez.

Nominations for Class XIX are currently being accepted.