The Leadership Claiborne Committee met recently to discuss their plans for the class of 2025-26. Pictured from left are Kristin Byers, Melany Bunch, Kelly Ramsey, Sherry McCreary, Jim Smolinsky, Karyn Clark, Kim Bolton and Ashlynn Reeves. Not pictured is Anna Daniels. (Photo by Jay Compton)

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Planning is underway for Leadership Claiborne’s class of 2025-26 and applications to sign up for this year’s class will be available by the end of July through the group’s Facebook page and the Claiborne Economic Partnership’s website.

The mission of Leadership Claiborne is to improve the community’s leadership stock, to promote community involvement, to bring emerging leaders to the forefront and to educate the area’s constituency on issues of importance. They also strive to develop an ongoing network of community leaders and facilitate projects that will have a positive impact on the community.

“It’s a leadership school, actually,” said Karyn Clark, the executive director of the Claiborne Economic Partnership. “It is for anybody who lives or works in Claiborne County.”

Starting in August, class members meet one time each month during business hours. The nine month program consists of panel and group discussions, business and community tours, networking, and teamwork. Each session is designed to give the participant a new and exciting insight into the people and places that are the pillars of the community. A high level of interaction is vital to each session.

“Every year the group does a project that benefits the community. Lots and lots of things have been done by Leadership classes over the years,” Clark said. “One of the first was to establish a  scholarship, the two high school signs on the highways were done by the Leadership Claiborne class of 2010, improvements to the New Tazewell Park, the dog park at the Animal Shelter — it’s amazing what all they have done. We believe in servant leadership so that’s something we don’t really brag on because we’re supposed to serve the people.”

The goal of the program is to provide access to key leaders and decision makers in the Claiborne County area and to  give an exclusive introduction to the people and places that make up the very core of the community.

Starting in August with Orientation Day, the group will meet monthly with a special theme for each meeting. September will have a Community Service/Non-Profit Day, October will have a Tourism Day, November will have a Healthcare/Emergency Services Day, December will have a Local Government Day, January will have a Business and Industry Day, February will have a State Government Day, March will have an Education Day, April will have a Agriculture Day and May will have the annual Leadership Claiborne graduation night.

Clark said once people complete Leadership Claiborne they come away with a better appreciation of all the opportunities available in the county.

“What we always hear is ‘I learned about so much stuff that I didn’t even know existed in Claiborne County,” she said. “After taking the class, we want people to be able to have an answer for anyone who says there’s nothing to do here.”

Every student will leave the class with a sense of encouragement and motivation for direct involvement in business and community leadership. There is both an adult class and a high school class that will be made up of up to four seniors from Claiborne and Cumberland Gap high schools and two from the J. Frank White Academy.

To learn more about Leadership Claiborne follow their Facebook page or visit www.claibornepartnership.com