Three Revere High School juniors graduated from the Junior Leadership Akron (JLA) program and two sophomores will join the program next year.

Juniors Miranda Koewler, Brady Marks and Sam Sustersic graduated from the Junior Leadership Akron program this year. Lindsay Smith, Leadership Akron’s JLA Coordinator, discussed the history of JLA.

“Junior Leadership Akron is a non-profit program of Leadership Akron Alumni Association modeled after the Leadership Akron Signature program…JLA actually began as a program of the Junior League of Akron, and was eventually taken over by Leadership Akron,” Smith said.

Principal Phil King, along with Revere’s three guidance counselors, chose students to attend the program. Guidance counselor Linda Weigand explained the process of selecting for JLA.

“It is a multi-tiered process. I first ask teachers to give me names of sophomores that are emerging leaders. The students that have a number of teacher nominations are invited to an interview…At the end of the interviews, we individually rank the students and choose candidates to represent Revere at [various leadership activities],” Weigand said.

Weigand listed some characteristics the administrators look for in students that are interviewed.

“We look for that student that is willing to give the time for the opportunity, as well as what they are currently involved in and how [this student] will use the skills [they learn] at Revere,” Weigand said.

Koewler explained the purpose of JLA along with how her participation affected her.

“The point of JLA is to give students a new point of view on the many career paths there are in an Akron based area, and JLA has shown me all the different things there are. Even in one field, there are hundreds of different things to do to fit what you like,” Koewler said.

Marks spoke of JLA’s constantly changing atmosphere, and how the exposure to different environments proves to be beneficial.
“We meet at a different place each time. We have different days, each with a different theme. These themes help us figure out what job field we want to go into,” Marks said.

Marks also listed some of the locations JLA has met for their activities.

“We went to the Akron Courts for Law Day [and] the Childrens’ Hospital for Medical Day. We toured different historical landmarks in Akron for History Day and, most recently, we went to the waterworks place down in the valley for Environmental Day,” Marks said.

Sophomore Drew Espinal, a future JLA member, voiced his opinion of the JLA’s purpose.

“The purpose of doing this is to take leadership qualities I learn at JLA back to the school and demonstrate them,” Espinal said.

Senior Joel Gerberich, a former member of JLA, mentioned how JLA helps its members in the future.

“There are a lot of things that come out of [JLA],” Gerberich said. Gerberich explained that JLA looks good on a resume, that members of JLA gain connections with leaders at different schools, as well as adults involved with the group and that students taking part in JLA learn the importance of leaders.

JLA meets one Tuesday every month. Koewler, Marks and Sustersic graduated on April 27. Espinal and Sophomore Shelby Kohmann will represent Revere at the JLA program next year.