Ade Lewis (left) and Katena Carvajales (right) during their class project to build a community garden at Humble Area Assistance Ministries
Class 7 toured Houston City Hall and met with Mayor Sylvester Turner and Councilman Dave Martin to learn about issues affecting the Lake Houston area
The class kicked off in August and was featured in the Houston Chronicle's community newspaper
Leadership Lake Houston, created by the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, is a program designed to grow and develop community leaders in the Lake Houston Area. In September 2017, the program began its seventh year with a new class of 22 emerging and existing community leaders.
Houston Airport System's Ade Lewis, Division Manager Learning and Development, and Katena Carvajales, Public Relations Manager were both members of "Class Seven."
"Our experience was more unique than the previous classes, because we started right after Hurricane Harvey," said Carvajales. "We had a first-hand view of how businesses were affected by the historic rain event and how the community is rallying around them to help them bounce back." Lewis added, "We had a behind-the scenes look at how the chamber launched programs including the Plea for 3 and Plea to See campaigns. It was all very interesting and exciting and I feel prepared to make an impact in the community."
The purpose of Leadership Lake Houston is to prepare, provide tools and enable participants to make an impact on the growth and vitality of the community. To accomplish this, the class attended day-long sessions, once a month for eight months, to learn the current status and needs of various aspects of the community. Participants received training for successfully serving on committees and boards. The session topics include business and economic development, government, justice and public safety, education, healthcare, social services and quality of a leader.
In addition to identifying the needs of the community, the class is motivated to take action. The program ended in May with a graduation ceremony where the class was charged to put their leadership skills to work by getting involved, eventually assuming leadership roles within the community. The final project included installing a garden bed and planting fruits and vegetables for Humble Area Assistance Ministries.
The Lake Houston Chamber is accepting applications until Friday, May 25 for the eighth leadership class. To apply, go to www.LakeHouston.org/llh or contact the Chamber at 281-446-2128.