The inaugural class of the West Des Moines Leadership Academy has chosen to create a program geared towards youth for their class project. Building Leaders is a local educational program designed to provide youth with opportunities they might not have otherwise. Approximately four events per year will be held from one of the four areas of opportunity: education, culture, sports or the arts.
On April 4, 2009, the first Building Leaders event was held at the Des Moines Playhouse. Thirty West Des Moines youth attended a production of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. The group was able to have lunch and get to know the cast and crew before the show. After the show, some of the kids had the opportunity to recreate a scene from the play including special effects, lights and sound. All of the children had the opportunity to participate in a curtain call on stage.
Our second event will begin in June and will conclude on July 3, 2009. The kids will get a chance to build and ride in a float at the annual West Des Moines Fourth of July parade. We will hold several construction days with the children to build, paint and assemble the float.
We are also in the process of arranging a day at Principal Park to watch an Iowa Cubs game this summer and we hope to conclude the year’s activities with a day at Blank Park Zoo this fall. If anyone is interested in donating to the project or volunteering for a day please let the WDMLA know!
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Designed by Jeremy Schultz.
