Youth Leadership Rutherford

09/18/2026

This week, our YLR Class of 2027 had the opportunity to explore the impact of business and economic development in Rutherford County and learn more about some of the businesses and industries helping our community thrive.

🏭 Nissan
We kicked off the day at Nissan with a facility tour and an inside look at the economic impact Nissan has on our community. It was exciting to see firsthand the scale of their operations and the opportunities they bring to Rutherford County.

✈️ Hollingshead Aviation | Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport
Next, we headed to the Hollingshead Aviation hangar at the airport, where we had the opportunity to board one of SRM's private jets and learn more about Hollingshead's airport operations. We also heard from Evan Lester and Salil Rai, Executive Director and Deputy Director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority, about the exciting development happening at the airport. There is so much going on behind the scenes to support our community and region - be sure and check out the new opening of ESPN Monday Night Football. It was filmed right there at the airport!

🏗️ SRM
We wrapped up the day with a hands-on concrete activity and learned about the beginnings of SRM right here in Smyrna. From its local roots to becoming a premier concrete supplier across the United States, SRM's story is a great example of how a Rutherford County business can grow into a national leader while remaining connected to its community.

A huge THANK YOU to Nissan and SRM Concrete for sponsoring our day and giving our YLR class the opportunity to learn, explore, and experience these incredible organizations firsthand! We are grateful for the time, hospitality, and insight you shared with us.

08/19/2026

🎉 Day 1 of Youth Leadership Rutherford is officially in the books!
We had the best time welcoming the Class of 2027! We’re so excited to have students from all of our Rutherford County Schools high schools, plus Middle Tennessee Christian School (Official), Providence Christian Academy, and The Webb School represented this year. 🙌

We spent the day getting to know each other through icebreakers, eating lots of food, and hearing from Tyler Clem, Campus Pastor at One Church Calvary. Tyler brought some fun games but also got our students thinking about what it means to be a leader as they head into their senior year, and how they can be leaders at home, school, and right here in our community.

A big THANK YOU to Volunteer Bank and One Church for being our meal sponsors! ❤️ And a special shoutout to our Leadership Rutherford alumni volunteers, Ashley and Melissa, who came back to help make the day even better. We couldn’t do it without you!
We’re already looking forward to all that this class will do this year! 🎓✨

03/25/2026

What a way to wrap up the 2026 Youth Leadership Rutherford class! 🎉

Our final program day was packed with insight, reflection, and celebration. We kicked things off with a conversation on leadership in college sports featuring Lee DeLeon, Deputy Athletic Director at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Roman Gagliano, Blue Raider Football QB, and Alec Oglesby, Men’s Basketball senior leader. The group loved the discussion format and walked away with many thoughts on leadership, teamwork, and accountability.

We also had a presentation from Allyn Walker with Dale Carnegie, giving students even more tools to carry forward as they step into their next chapter.

After taking time to look back on their YLR journey this year, we celebrated these incredible students at their graduation ceremony, joined by more than 100 proud parents, family members, friends, and teachers. It was a special moment to recognize the class!

Thank you to our program day sponsors, TwelveStone Health Partners, Center Hill Marina, and Bank of Tennessee, and to United Communications, our graduation sponsor.

So what’s next for the Class of 2026?

🎓 8 heading to the University of Tennessee
🎓 2 attending MTSU
🎓 2 attending HBCUs
🎓 14 attending other universities
🔧 2 pursuing vocational schools
🏡 1 entering the real estate field

Career interests are already taking shape as well:
🩺 7 plan to pursue the medical field
💼 4 will study business
📚 Others are exploring a wide range of paths

While some are still deciding, one thing is certain - this group is full of future leaders, and we can’t wait to see the impact they’ll make.

Congratulations, YLR Class of 2026 - you’ve made us proud! 👏

02/25/2026

⏰ DEADLINE ALERT!
Rising seniors—don’t miss your chance to be part of Youth Leadership Rutherford’s next class! Applications are due Friday, February 27th at 4:30 PM sharp!
If you're looking for a program that challenges your leadership skills, engages you in the community, and helps you grow as a future leader, this is it! 🙌
Apply now before time runs out! Leadership Rutherford
🔗

Applications close Friday, February 27, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. for ​Youth Leadership Rutherford Class of 2026/2027

02/10/2026

🎓 Rising Seniors—Step Into Your Leadership Era!
Youth Leadership Rutherford is more than a program—it’s where future leaders are made. 🚀 Dive into real-world issues, sharpen your leadership skills, and make a meaningful impact in our community. 🌟

✨ Build confidence
✨ Learn civic leadership
✨ Get involved locally

📅 Applications open February 2 and close February 27 at 4:30 PM
👉 Apply here: https://bit.ly/YLRApps26

Know a rising senior ready to lead? Tag them below! 👇

Applications close Friday, February 27, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. for ​Youth Leadership Rutherford Class of 2026/2027

02/03/2026

📣 Attention Rising Seniors!
Do you know a soon-to-be high school senior ready to make an impact? 🌟 Youth Leadership Rutherford (YLR) is now accepting applications for its next class!
YLR offers personal development, civic education, and hands-on community engagement, preparing students to be visionary leaders in Rutherford County and beyond. 💼🌍
📅 Applications open Monday, February 2nd, and close at 4:30 PM on Friday, February 27th. Don't miss out on this opportunity!
🔗

Applications close Friday, February 27, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. for ​Youth Leadership Rutherford Class of 2026/2027

01/21/2026

📅 January Youth Leadership Rutherford Day Recap

What a fantastic day for our Youth Leadership Rutherford class! We kicked things off with an insightful presentation from Mai Ferrell on the importance of mental health, followed by the Game of Life with Nancy Gastelum of Redstone Federal Credit Union.

We then headed to Ascension Saint Thomas for lunch and an incredible afternoon of learning. Clay Dyer shared information about the wide range of rehabilitation services offered, and the class enjoyed a tour of radiology and a hard hat tour of the new labor and delivery wing.

A huge thank you to Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford and Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation for hosting us and for investing in the next generation of leaders. We truly appreciate your hospitality and support! 💙

12/02/2025

Youth Leadership Rutherford had another exciting program day today! 🎉

We kicked things off with a session from Shan Foster Fostering Healthy Solutions, who helped us break down the results of our DISC assessments and explore how our different leadership styles can work together for greater impact.

Next, we were inspired by a thoughtful panel discussion on servant leadership featuring Kelli Beam and Jason Surratt. Their perspectives reminded us what it truly means to lead with purpose and heart.

To wrap up the day, we delivered our food donations to Nourish Food Bank and spent time working in the warehouse - definitely a hands-on way to serve our community. ❤️

A huge thank you to our sponsors for the day: Middle Tennessee Electric and First National Bank of Middle Tennessee. Your support makes experiences like this possible! 🙌

11/19/2025

For our November Program Day, we kicked off the morning with an introduction to tennis at the Adams Tennis Complex, Murfreesboro, then headed over to the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center where we learned all about Parks & Rec in our community, and even got in some indoor climbing! 🧗‍♂️

After returning to the Chamber, the class participated in a “Shark Tank” competition led by Amelia Bozeman with the Jones College of Business, MTSU. Huge congrats to the winning team, whose innovative product was custom dog treats! 🐶✨

We wrapped up the day with Senator Shane Reeves, who shared three powerful stories and the lessons they’ve taught him throughout his life.

A big thank-you to our meal sponsors, SEC and Old National Bank, for fueling a fantastic day! 🙌

09/23/2025

🚀 Youth Leadership Rutherford had an action-packed day exploring business and economic development in Rutherford County!

👉 Our first stop was in Smyrna at the Nissan manufacturing facility, where they were welcomed by Vice President of Manufacturing, Brian Crockett, and took a tour and saw the plant in production. That was followed by a visit to Hollingshead Aviation at the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority. Students experienced the flight simulator, toured a private jet, and learned about day-to-day operations.

✈️ Thank you to Evan Lester and Salil Rai with the Airport Authority for sharing insights on the airport’s impressive growth — now the 4th busiest airport in Tennessee!

🍽️ After lunch, the class heard from Jon Harrell with SRM Concrete, who shared about concrete production and even led a fun hands-on concrete activity.

A huge THANK YOU to Nissan and SRM for hosting us and making today an unforgettable learning experience! 🙌