Part of the annual Brown Heritage Festival is to recognize youth for what they’ve done and where they are heading. Youth Leadership
Awards play a big role in the festival, so Friday morning at the festival’s opening 10 students from this area were recognized. Organizers told the crowd to watch them as they grow older.

“The students are in the limelight,” said Geraldine Watson before the students were given their Youth Leadership Award. “They are leaders today and will be leaders tomorrow. Let’s listen to them and let’s be proud of our students.”

And, after hearing from the 10 students and from people from their schools, Polk Schools Superintendent Sherrie Nickell showed her pride.

“Students, the sky is the limit and just go for it,” she said.

Freddie Douglas, introducing Lead Dorce, described what it is like for a native of Haiti to move to the United States without knowing how to speak English, and who now has a 4.52 grade point average at Bartow International Baccalaureate.

“She came here at a young age and the odds seemed insurmountable,” he said. “She went to four different elementary schools, four different middle schools before settling down at Lawton Chiles.”

Dorce now has a four-year college scholarship, which she said would cover her education and even “would pay for her to come home and visit my family.”

“I know I can become a doctor to help this country and others more,” she said.

Fadrian Gilbert, Fort Meade Middle-Senior High School Assistant Principal Amy Hardee said, is always ready as “she does the morning announcements every day.”

She is active in Future Business Leaders of America, is vice president of the student council, a cheerleader, volleyball player, softball player, is in the DCT Club and volunteers in the community for the Relay For Life, the Fill-A-Bag foundation and more. This is the second time she’s won a Leadership Youth Award from the Brown Festival.

“I won this in the eighth grade and it is nice to win it again,” she said.

She plans to study radiology when she goes to college.

In honoring Devonte Fason, adults from the school quickly pointed out his poise and how he stands out to set an example for the younger ones coming into Bartow High.

“He was in the office selling copies of the yearbook,” Assistant Principal Emilean Clemons said. “He presented it in such a manner that I just couldn’t say no and I told him there wasn’t any way I could say no.”

Wanting to become a pharmacist, Fason said he wants to move to Atlanta after he finishes school and start a foundation, but eventually he wants to come back to Bartow and “maybe work for this great board,” he said referring to the Brown Festival. For that he got a loud round of applause.

BHS Principal Ronald Pritchard added, “He really isn’t too bad a salesman … he sold me two yearbooks.”

In accepting her Youth Leadership Award, Mulberry High’s Seandrianna McLendon was brought to tears thanking her mother for what she has done to raise her and her brother without a father to help.

“My mom has been an inspiration,” she said. “She is a single parent for me and my brother and all I want to do is make her proud.”

Despite McLendon’s tears at the awards, school Principal Patricia Bonds pointed out McClendon’s poise and leadership skills and said she can often be seen on State Road 37 trying to sell car washes to raise funds for the JROTC. Plus, she added, McClendon has won a first, second or third place at the last 15 consecutive JROTC competitions the school competed in.

Summerlin Academy Principal Col. Michael Butler said, “It’s easy to introduce a person like Saulo Trejo. America always needs the bravest and brightest and he is both of those.”

In his senior year, Trejo is the regiment commander of both the Gator and Tiger battalions and his leadership has helped those younger than him learn from him.

“He’s not flashy but he takes care of the other cadets,” Butler said.

He also learned this week after he graduates this year, he will be going to Fort Benning in Georgia for basic training before heading to Oklahoma for more training.

Omar Haughton, a student at Gause Academy, was called a “huge leader at our school,” said counselor Susan Willcockson.

“He keeps us in line and he shows others how you should act and how you should study,” she said. She also pointed out that while Haughton works because he has to, he has also taken on volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House because he feels it is something he should do.

He said when he finishes school he plans to go into the Navy.

Compass Middle School student Lekira Cooke devotes her young life to seeing that other people are happy, said Principal Harry Williams. She helps distribute food to those who need it and maintains a 3.25 GPA at the school.

“She likes to how happy people are when they receive food,” he said. “What most impresses me is her love for people.”

At Bartow Middle School, Kennedy Green started a Bible study group because she felt it was needed there.

“It has now grown to 36 people,” Academic Dean Annette Hardle said.

Green said she has faced obstacles in getting it started but now it is moving smoothly and she plans to start one at Bartow High when she attends school there.

Mulberry Middle School student Nguyen Vu believes if you work hard, good things will happen.

“Hard work will make you successful and she wants to help others achieve that,” said school Principal Michael Young. She has a 4.0 grade point average, plays in the band and is a conductor. She also plans to attend Harrison as she enjoys doing artwork and her work has been displayed.

“With hard work, good things will come,” she said.

The last person to win a Youth Leadership Award was Aaliyah Bryant from Union Academy, though guidance counselor Kim White said there is no way she should be last on any list.

“Even though she is last today, Aaliyah is not last by any stretch of the imagination,” White said.

The eighth grade student has a 3.62 grade point average and last year she won a Duke Tip Talent award because she achieved a very high score on the ACT test.

“This test is normally taken by high school students but this was earned by someone in the seventh grade,” she said.

When she finishes school she wants more school, college and moving on to medical school from there.

“I want to be a general practitioner and do whatever I can to help everyone I can,” she said.

The students all showed their eyes are wide open to what could lie ahead for them and their plans are large, something Watson said should be encouraged and, she added, everyone else is going to see if they can achieve it.

“Be on the alert students,” she said. “There are eyes watching you.”