Hyde School in Bath will be hosting its second annual Maine Youth Leadership Day on Nov. 6. The day will bring together high school students from all over the state with Maine business people to focus on entrepreneurship and leadership development.
Students from Hyde-Bath, Hyde-Woodstock, Brunswick High School, Morse High School, Mt. Ararat High School, Deering High School, Messalonskee High School, Passamaquoddy Youth Council, Medway Middle School, Stearns High School, Bridgton Academy, Kents Hill School, Gould Academy, MCI High School, Oxford Hill High School, Freeport High School, Lisbon High School, Fryeburg Academy, Waynflete School and Mt. Blue High School will be in attendance.
The highlight of the day will be a keynote presentation by local businessman William E. “Bill” Haggett, former president of Bath Iron Works. Today he serves as president of both Pineland Farms Natural Meats and Pineland Farms Naturally Potatoes U.S.
Fellow Maine entrepreneurs from finance, sports and technology to specialty goods will lead breakout sessions for the high school students. Some of the notable presenters include Tom Whalen, president of Bath Savings Institution, Jamee Luce, director of Robotics Institute of Maine, and John Turner, co-founder of Traps EyeWare.
Hyde School debuted the Maine Youth Leadership Day last year as a way to empower high school students. The day had three goals: bring together a field of distinguished adults and aspiring student leaders; explore the importance and challenges of sound moral character and the practice of leadership; and help students develop a heightened sense of personal leadership and character.
Bringing together over 100 students from eight schools, the participants left last year’s event with an improved sense of self and what they could achieve. “I learned that not only do I need to help people be the best versions of themselves, but that if I can do that, I can also challenge myself to be the best version of myself and accomplish anything,” said one high school student. Another added, “The whole day has been really inspiring. It has got me thinking about seeing myself as a leader instead of a follower.”
This year’s Leadership Day will be similar with entrepreneur-led workshop sessions, Haggett’s much-anticipated keynote presentation, and a student-led leadership panel/case study in the afternoon.
All Maine high school students and teachers are invited and encouraged to attend this free event. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch and snacks included. To attend, please contact program director Stefan Jensen, sjensen@hyde.edu or 837-9373 or visit www.hyde.edu/MaineLeaders.