Women in Training, Inc is proud to announce the 26 new WIT Young Leaders in the second cohort of the WIT Leadership Development Academy. The Monarchs, as they will be called, represent some of the best and brightest middle and high school young women in Alabama’s River Region. Women in Training, Inc. will formally introduce them to the community at the Second Annual WIT Mother-Daughter Brunch on March 11, 2023.
“I look forward to working with this group of talented young leaders as they embark on the next year of growth and development with WIT,” said Tania Johns, WIT Vice President for Youth Development. “We have a great year ahead where we will focus on goal setting, health and wellness, advocacy, civic engagement, and service. We hope this experience will equip our young leaders with the tools they need to lead from the front in this community and beyond.”
The mission of the WIT Leadership Development Academy is to facilitate formal and experiential learning opportunities to help cultivate young women into culturally competent and compassionate global leaders who care about themselves and the world around them.
There are three graduating seniors in The Monarchs, as follows:
The Monarchs include the following nine high school students from the Inaugural Cohort that began in March 2021:
Monarch Glamoura Akwaba
Monarch Breanna Bennett
Monarch Brooke Bennett
Monarch Amiyah-Sarea Goshton
Monarch Gabrielle Johns
Monarch Azari Rudolph
Monarch Jazlyn Samples
Monarch JeNai Turner
Monarch Savannah Lynn Williams
Meet a few of the other Monarchs:
Monarch Kaylana Bazile
Big Sister: Veronica Bazile
8th Grader at Johnnie Carr Middle School
Kaylana describes herself as dependable.
Monarch Kacie Caldwell
Mother: Kimberly Caldwell
8th Grader at Baldwin Magnet Middle School
Kacie is a Level 3 Ballerina and Show Choir member. She said she’s eager to learn and expand her artistic abilities.
Monarch Chassidy Hogan
Mother: Danielle Hogan
Freshman at Park Crossing High School
Chassidy plays softball, volleyball, and enjoys art. She also enjoys being a positive light to others.
Monarch Gabrielle Johns
Mother: Tania Johns
Junior at Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School
Gabrielle plays tennis, and is a member of the National Technical Honor Society.
Monarch Finn McKenny
Mother: Courtney McKenny
Sophomore at Booker T Washington Magnet High School.
Finn is both an artist and a soccer player for her school.
Monarch Marley Powell
Mother: Tiffany Powell
7th Grader at Prattville Junior High School
Marley plays travel volleyball team and loves to volunteer and help others
Monarch Azari Rudolph
Mother: Latisha Rudolph
Junior at Robert E. Lee High School
Azari loves to read and write. She also loves to help others.
Monarch Savannah Lynn Williams
Grandmother: Marjorie Lynn Bowden
Sophomore at Stanhope-Elmore High School
Savannah is the Diamond Queen of Pink and Pearls for Girls' and is a host at their annual 'Be Her Hero Women and Girls Explosion.’ She described her light as her caring and helping spirit. Savannah is kind, compassionate and loving. She witnessed her grandparents, “Bibi” and “PawPaw,” helping people and started a nonprofit, Alpha Love 2 Life, after her PawPaw passed away. She loves to give to the homeless and help the elderly. She really likes to assist young people in talking openly about grief and learning ways to cope, because it is a fact of life that we will all face.
Orientation for The Monarchs took place on February 19, 2023, at the Dexter King Memorial Legacy Center in downtown Montgomery. The schedule for this year’s activities can be found HERE.
The WIT Leadership Development Academy is expertly managed by a team of volunteers on the Steering Committee.
