Leaders in Action (LIA) is an organization at THS that works to make the community better by volunteering. It helps students to develop leadership skills. Normally, Leaders in Action will accept 20-30 students, but this year everyone who applied has been accepted.

For new students this is called a pledge year. The pledges who participate this year will then be accepted as full members and will partake in the LIA retreat next year.

“This was something we have been planning since last year,” School Counselor Taylor Lane said. “We noticed that every year we were inducting members, we often had several who did not commit to the organization and left after one year. We wanted to make camp a special event for our members who consistently dedicated themselves to LIA, and it gives us an opportunity to involve more students in our building.”

This year there are 35 new students. Junior Ashton Bell has been part of Leaders in Action for two years and welcomes the new members.

“I’m excited to have new members this year,” Bell said. “I think it is great that so many new people have the opportunity to help the community.” 

New members, including junior Grace Brim, are looking forward to being a part of LIA.  

“I decided to join because it’s another club that deals with volunteer work and that’s something I’m really passionate about,” Brim said. 

Leaders in Action is adapting to Covid-19 this year, too. Normally, after the new members are accepted, they go to Camp Asbury to bond and celebrate getting in. Camp Asbury is located in Hiram. LIA members get to participate in all kinds of fun activities there, such as ziplining and playing games. Unfortunately they can not go this year but are looking to go next year. Although they cannot go to camp, LIA is still looking for new volunteer opportunities, like helping out at the food bank, tutoring, pet pantry, the Halloween Drive-in movie, and more.

Bell said, “One thing I wish that could’ve happened this year was the trip to Camp Asbury. It was a super fun trip where the new members could bond in a stress-free environment. After the trip, you felt more like a family, and you all had some of the same goals.”