County Commission | The Magazine April 2017 | Page 34

NEWS YOU CAN USE A passion for developing leaders L egendary coach Vince Lombardi encouraged to pursue other leadership Hargrove said that seeing the once said leaders are made, roles in the future. students get excited about the not born. Some leaders learn as Hargrove upped the ante last classroom elections and their ideas for they go, while others are groomed. month when he loaded the group of improving the community is his greatest Some turn new experiences into an over 30 students on a school bus reward with the project. And although opportunity for growth, while others are for a field trip to Montgomery. The the PLAN 2016 group has completed given the tools for success and face day began with a trip to the Alabama its journey, the two-term commissioner the challenge when the time is right. Statehouse, where students met their plans to continue building his Passion For a group of high school seniors in local legislators and watched as bills Project with the students of East Lawrence County finding their way in moved one step closer to becoming Lawrence High School. He wants to the world, that time is now. law. They concluded their Montgomery keep the project going for years Lawrence County Commissioner tour at the Alabama Capitol, where the to come, giving every East Lawrence Joey Hargrove is no stranger to charting his own path to leadership. When he was first elected in 2010, he didn’t know the ins and outs of county government. He dedicated countless hours to relearning things about governmental organization he had not thought about in decades, because he felt like he owed it to his community. He knew that if the future of Lawrence County was to rest in Jamie Martin, Governor’s Office the hands of the next generation, there had East Lawrence High School’s Class of 2017 and Commissioner Joey Hargrove at Alabama’s historic capitol building. to be a better way. When the inaugural PLAN group students learned about the history student the opportunity to learn more of 2016 was charged with developing of Alabama’s government and the about local and state government a Passion Project, for Hargrove it role of the executive branch in the during their senior year. was an easy decision. He chose to legislative process. “I think we may have a future teach local high school students about “It was really cool to see where commissioner or two in this group,” county government and how it affects all of our laws are made and what the said Hargrove with a laugh. “I hope I’ve their everyday lives. As his first order process looks like,” said one opened their eyes to how government of business, he had the group of high East Lawrence senior. “It’s one thing works, and how critically important school seniors elect classroom officials. to learn about all of this from a these roles are for the county. You can He hoped that by giving them the textbook, but it adds meaning to it never be too young to think about ways opportunity to take on a leadership when you get to see the legislators that you can better your community.” n role in the classroom, they would be and landmarks in person.” 34 | COUNTY COMMISSION