Pulaski Tomorrow organizers hope mentorship programs created by two Youth Leadership Academy graduates are just the beginning of the program’s impact in Middle Georgia.
Leadership development has been a priority for Pulaski County since it became an Archway Partnership community in 2009. The result was Pulaski Tomorrow, an organization focused on cultivating future leaders.
“Leadership is the cornerstone of everything: family, job, church, and community,” said Pulaski Tomorrow alumnus Drew Cravey. “Participating in Pulaski Tomorrow helps people learn to lead and take on leadership roles in some aspect of their lives.”
That’s evident in the work of Anjunita Davis and Lizzy Gainous, alums who have both created mentorship programs for elementary and middle school girls following graduation. Cravey said he wants Pulaski Tomorrow to continue to identify those potential leaders who could positively impact the community in the future.
A two-day retreat for board members, alumni and citizens in October focused on the organization’s strategic plan with help from the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. The group set short- and long-term goals and brainstormed ways to achieve them.
“Capacity building in communities is a key part of our work in the Archway Partnership,” said Archway Professional Michelle Elliott. “As part of that capacity building, we want to enable organizations like Pulaski Tomorrow and others in the community to access resources of the University like the Fanning Institute on their own to address their needs.”
Fanning Institute faculty member Louise Hill, who helped run the retreat, said programs like Pulaski Tomorrow develop leadership pipelines in local communities.
“Pulaski Tomorrow as one of the best examples of this in Georgia because they continue to build an innovative program that is a catalyst for innovation in their community,” she said.
