CAYLI 2023 graduates
The University of Central Arkansas Division of Outreach and Community Engagement held a graduation ceremony on Thursday, April 6, for the Conway Area Youth Leadership Institute (CAYLI), formerly known as the Faulkner County Youth Leadership Institute.
CAYLI is a cooperative effort between UCA Outreach and Community Engagement, the Faulkner County Leadership Institute and schools in Faulkner County.
CAYLI is a school-year program consisting of a two-day (overnight) retreat and seven monthly sessions, which include human services, education, media, technology, healthcare, economy, government, court systems, environment and agriculture discussions. Students also participate in a community service project, a vital part of the curriculum.
CAYLI is designed to help develop leadership potential within 11th- and 12th-grade students. The program addresses community challenges and opportunities and exposes participants to avenues for community involvement and improvement.
The 2023 CAYLI graduating class consisted of 17 seniors and nine juniors from Conway Christian, Conway, Greenbrier, Mayflower and Vilonia high schools.
CAYLI 2023 graduates are as follows:
- Raghan Allen—Conway High
- Jillian Bradshaw—Conway High
- Jaxon Charlton—Conway High
- Kara Coleman—Conway High
- Lily Dodd—Vilonia High
- Anna-Belle Elliott—Mayflower High
- Chloe Emerson—Conway High
- Anna Hartley—Conway Christian High
- Kallie Hudnall—Mayflower High
- Katie Grace King—Conway Christian High
- Emma Love—Greenbrier High
- Makenzie Miller—Conway High
- Tanner New—Conway High
- Isani Patel—Conway High
- David Pavon—Conway High
- Ella Raper—Conway High
- Sarah Rodriguez—Conway High
- Breylon Smith—Conway High
- Clara Spivey—Conway High
- Sydney Stewart—Conway High
- McKenzie Thompson—Conway High
- Taylor Tinsley—Conway High
- Kendall Watson—Conway High
- Nate Westerman-Conway High
- Brooklyn Whitmire—Greenbreier High
- Anna Wish—Conway High
“CAYLI has impacted my life by bringing me leadership skills I can use in my personal and professional life. It has brought me opportunities to put myself out there and accomplish things I never would’ve been able to do on my own,” said Sarah Rodriguez, 2023 graduate.
“Being a member of CAYLI has tremendously impacted my life in so many ways. CAYLI has allowed me to create life-long friendships, as well as learn how to better connect and network with others in my community,” said Kendall Watson, 2023 graduate.
Enrollment is open to students who are currently high school sophomores and juniors in Faulkner County. Teachers, parents and others are encouraged to nominate students and encourage them to apply. The application period was Feb. 1 to March 1 with selections being made this month. Each class represents a broad cross-section of the community.
For this year’s community service project, the class supported literacy in Faulkner County by building reading benches to accompany the Free Little Libraries that last year’s CAYLI class built. Reading benches were installed at Marguerite Vann Elementary and Preston and Florence Mattison Elementary School.
Benches were constructed and installed with the assistance of Mark Hickey, educator at Conway High School Career Center, and his students. Hickey also built a new Free Little Library at Marguerite Vann Elementary.
“Our school is located in an area with lots of foot traffic, so our new Little Free Library will benefit our students, school families, and community members living in the surrounding neighborhoods,” Shanda New, principal at Marguerite Vann, said. “We hope many will stop by and take a book, and then share it with others. The presence of this library on our campus is yet another way for Vann to communicate to our entire school community the value of literacy!”
CAYLI is facilitated by the UCA Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, graduates of the Faulkner County and Conway Area Leadership Institute, and dedicated volunteers.
For more information, contact Shaneil Ealy, assistant vice president of UCA Outreach and Community Engagement, at (501) 450-5266 or youthleadership@uca.edu.
ABOUT CAYLI
CAYLI began in 1995 as the Faulkner County Youth Leadership Institute. It was developed by that year’s Faulkner County Leadership Institute (FCLI) as a community service project. This year, the program celebrates 28 years of developing young leaders. More than 700 young people have graduated from the program during its 28-year history.
