Sinclair Community College’s Student Government Association and the Leaders in Action committee plan to present Leaders in Action Day on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20.
The new, two-part event will focus on the value in leadership roles through action, with plans to help clean up the city, while utilizing art to promote diversity in the event.
Brandon Whitehorn, student body president and Leaders in Action organizer, described the event as “an opportunity to introduce the future leaders of the community.”
Whitehorn said that although students are still in college at the present, they will soon be stepping into the leadership roles of tomorrow.
“We’re the next thing coming up the latter,” he said. “This is our way, as students, to show how much we cherish the area we live in.”
Whitehorn said that along with positively affecting the state of the city and its culture, he envisions a myriad of benefits for those involved. This includes the potential to build connections with fellow students through networking, making some new friends and the fulfillment of collectively working toward a common goal.
The first day of the event, on April 19, will be community service based with student volunteers helping to clean up along the Great Miami River, as well as possibly picking up trash within the city.
“We’re taking initiative with this and setting the example for the younger generation, but also for some of the older generation, ‘look, we’re taking care of this city, you should do the same.’ This is where we live at the end of the day — we should cherish it,” Whitehorn said.
The second day of Leaders in Action, on April 20, will focus on giving back to the community on two interconnected fronts: the first being through the celebration and exhibition of art, including dance, literature, poetry, music and visual arts. And the second, with the recognition of the varying international cultures within the city and its college communities.
With this event, Whitehorn said he hopes to not only highlight Dayton culture, but to emphasize the diversity of talent within it.
“We have a lot of other clubs and organizations that are really interested in this topic, and we really just want to spread it out for the school — we want to open it up to the students,” he said. “This is your opportunity to help serve the community and see a difference in where we live.”
Along with the goals of highlighting the opportunities and value of leadership and promoting the city and culture of Dayton, Whitehorn said he hopes the event can be repeated annually and that this is the first of many to come.
For information on Leaders in Action Day, volunteering or submitting artwork to the event, contact Nilofar Gagan at nilofar.gagan@my.sinclair.edu.