Skip to content

Join      Member Directory       Login       ROOM RENTALS & SPACES      TRAVEL      REACH

Lee County Young Leaders

Program Vision: Ensuring our youth are prepared as leaders to meet future challenges that arise in our city, county, and state.

Program Description: The Lee County Young Leaders Program is a year-long, county-wide leadership experience for high school juniors and seniors across Lee County, Alabama. Through hands-on sessions, small-group discussions, and real-world experiences, students build leadership skills while forming meaningful connections with peers and some of the area’s most respected business, nonprofit, and community leaders.

Participants gain practical tools in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and civic engagement while learning how their community works behind the scenes. By the end of the program, students leave with a strong professional network, a deeper understanding of local leadership, and the confidence to step into future roles on boards, committees, and service organizations.

Our goal is simple: to inspire and equip the next generation of leaders who will invest their talents back into Lee County and help our community thrive.

Program Goals:

  • To select a diverse class of highly motivated participants who represent the diversity of racial, ethnic, and socio-economic groups in Lee County, Alabama.
  • To explore the diverse facets of Lee County’s government, business, economic development, health care, criminal justice, and other aspects of community life.
  • To instill and nurture a sense of social responsibility in our youth.
  • To provide opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to meet and develop mutual understanding, respect, and trust.
  • To offer participants opportunities for volunteer community involvement and service.
  • To encourage our youth to find satisfying job opportunities so he/she will come home to Lee County, Alabama to live, learn, work, worship, play, raise his/her family.
2026 LCYL Web Sponsors Updated

To participate in the Lee County Young Leaders Program, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Reside in Lee County, Alabama.
  • Attend a city or county regionally accredited high school, private or home school in Lee County.
  • Must be willing and able to attend all the sessions.
  • Be an 11th or 12th grade student during the period of the class program.
  • Must be up to date on Core Classes.
  • Maintain a 3.0 Grade-Point Average.
  • Provide own transportation to Session.

Applications for the 2027-2028 class will be released Spring 2027. If you would like to be emailed the application when it is ready, please contact Mackenzie Poole at mackenzie@opelikachamber.com

MEET THE 2026-2027 CLASS

Rayyaan Azhar

Rayyaan Azhar

Auburn High School

Ja'Corey Avery

Ja’Corey Avery

Beulah High School

Aliyah Benford

Aliyah Benford

Opelika High School

Peter Chenier

Peter Chenier

Loachapoka High School

Patrick Coulter

Patrick Coulter

Lee-Scott Academy

Maggie Shaw Cox

Maggie Shaw Cox

Auburn High School

Essence Dawson

Essence Dawson

Opelika High School

Allison De Leon-Vera

Allison De Leon-Vera

Loachapoka High School

Holland Dillworth

Holland Dillworth

Lee-Scott Academy

William Dooley

William Dooley

Trinity Christian School

Natalia Garcia

Natalia Garcia

Auburn High School

Londyn Gardner

Londyn Gardner

Opelika High School

Amberley Hamby

Jewel Hamby

Beauregard High School

Carley Head

Carley Head

Smiths Station High School

Abigail Hoffnagle

Abigail Hoffnagle

Smiths Station High School

Allanah Jackson

Allanah Jackson

Opelika High School

Ayoung Jeong

Ayoung Jeong

Auburn High School

John Kastner

John David Kastner

Auburn High School

Chloe Keel

Chloe Keel

Auburn High School

Erin Kemp

Erin Kemp

Opelika High School

Leo Kim

Leo Kim

Auburn High School

Jackson Melton

Jackson Melton

Lee-Scott Academy

John Miao

John Miao

Auburn High School

Kennedy Moss

Kennedy Moss

Opelika High School

Miguel Angel Munoz

Miguel Angel Munoz

Opelika High School

Jay Muncie IV

Jay Muncie IV

Homeschool

Madalyn Rollins

Madalyn Rollins

Opelika High School

Christopher Sands

Ayden Sands

Beulah High School

Olivia Simmons

Olivia Simmons

Auburn High School

Chloe Strickland

Chloe Strickland

Opelika High School

Clayton Tapley

Clayton Tapley

Beauregard High School

Mia Wang

Mia Wang

Auburn High School

Cale Webb

Cale Webb

Lakeview Christian School

Michael Young

Michael Young

Auburn High School

2026-2027 Young Leaders Board of Directors

Mackenzie Poole, Board Director - Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Joel Alvarado, Program Director – Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Allison Saggus - Lee-Scott Academy

Ansley Prather - Auburn City Schools

BJ DeBardeleben - Auburn University Alabama Extension/Lee County Veteran Outreach

Christy Blythe - Lee County Schools

Denise Rogers - City of Opelika

Elinda Dunbar  - City of Auburn

Jamie Lowe - Lee County Family Court

Jessica Ventiere - Lee County District Attorney

Karen Gilmore - Auburn-Opelika Tourism

Mary-Carlton Grantham - HomeCare of East Alabama Medical Center

Payton Burkett - Lanier Home Health

Ron Anders - City of Auburn

Stacey Guyton - Opelika City Schools

Todd Rauch - City of Opelika

Vertrina Grubbs - Southern Union State Community College

Melissa Gauntt, Ex-Offico - East Alabama Chamber

Ali Rauch, Ex-Offico - Opelika Chamber of Commerce

Anna Hovey, Ex-Officio - Auburn Chamber of Commerce

If you would like more information on the Opelika Chamber's leadership programs, contact

Mackenzie Poole, Vice President, at mackenzie@opelikachamber.com.