by David Ball
Staff Writer
It was a mixture of the old and the new at the Leadership Jacksonville Celebration 2008 event Thursday night at the Hyatt, where three past Leadership graduates were honored for service as community trustees.
Mingling in the crowd of 450 were graduates from some of the earliest Leadership classes in the early 1980s. But staffing the event, even introducing the honorees on stage, were local high school students who were just removed from the youth leadership programs.
The event is the chief fundraiser for Leadership Jacksonville’s three youth programs, and the event itself serves as yet another leadership experience.
“It was just a great event, and the students that were able to attend were certainly inspired by it,” said Youth Programs Director Meg Folds. “We had 40 students working, and they had to do a lot.”
Several students greeted guests and signed them up for raffle drawings. Tracy Smith from Orange Park High School led the pledge of allegiance, Maya Akser from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts sang “America the Beautiful,” while three others introduced the guest honorees.
Beau Whittmer of Episcopal High School introduced Barbara Drake, a 1992 Leadership graduate. Drake currently operates a trading business buying and selling recyclable commodities and equipment and has served on several industry and community volunteer boards.
Shanel Woodson from Sandalwood High School introduced Noah Henderson, a 1983 graduate. Henderson worked for 24 years with the City of Jacksonville, most recently as human services planner, and now is a part-time program facilitator at Florida Community College at Jacksonville. He has volunteered with Bridge of Northeast Florida, YMCA, the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation and other groups.
Josh Cockriel from Mandarin High School introduced Teala Milton, a 1984 graduate. Milton is chief public affairs officer for JEA and formerly served in government relations positions for Citigroup and AT&T Universal Card Services. She currently serves on several community boards including Leadership Florida, Gateway Girls Scouts Council, Community Hospice and Florida Community College Foundation.
Leadership Jacksonville Executive Director Isabelle Spence said the annual event not only honors local trustees and raises money for youth programs, but it gives past Leadership Jacksonville graduates a chance to reunite.
“It’s a time when many of the alumni have a chance to enjoy each other’s company outside of just business or other interaction,” she said. “It’s also a chance to feel uplifted by honoring three such outstanding people.”