The Little Rock Sister Cities Commission (“LRSCC”) has announced the inaugural class of its Youth Leadership Program. This year’s class is comprised of 23 outstanding students from four Little Rock high schools.

The mission of the Youth Leadership program is to groom the next generation of leaders in our city by placing high-achieving students through a leadership curriculum modeled after the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Greater Little Rock program. Over the next five months, students will be immersed in various facets of Little Rock life, including government and politics, healthcare, education and criminal justice. The culmination of the program is a ten-day trip to Hanam City and Seoul, South Korea in early August, 2008. Hanam City is one of Little Rock’s five sister cities. Future classes will have the opportunity to visit one of the other four sister cities.

The LRSCC is comprised of volunteers. The Youth Leadership Program is led by Commissioner Jeff Stinson, Program Coordinator, and Commissioner Bob Callans, LRSCC liaison to Hanam City. “These students are among the best our city has to offer, and I’m incredibly excited to work with them and help them to become better Ambassadors for the City of Little Rock,” said Stinson.

The program has been developed and is being administered on a volunteer basis, so funding is being actively sought. More information can be obtained on the Sister Cities website at www.lrsistercities.org.

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