Local hero gives charge to youth leadership class.

Robert Catalonotti mows his lawn and trims his hedges at his Grafton home. He volunteers with the Red Cross, his church, and Assumption College. But Colonel Catalonotti is headed back to Baghdad with the U. S. Army 98th Division to lead troops charged with protecting the Iraqi elections on January 30.

"Just your local example of a true leader," according to Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation board member Scott Rossiter. Rossiter introduced Catalonotti to the 25 young people in Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy's inaugural class at its kick-off at Grafton Job Corps on December 17.

The students, who came from nine high schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as Grafton Job Corps, spent the day learning about leadership, learning about teamwork, and learning about themselves.

Catalonotti spoke with the students about qualities of leadership: respect, not giving up, hard work, dependability, including others, not taking shortcuts. "Leadership in the military is everything," he said. "You can't take short cuts. Those soldiers are going to Iraq with me. If we're in a convoy and they take a shortcut with carelessness, what will happen to the group?

"We give to the nation. Soldiers uproot their lives to give of themselves. It's not about you," he added. "Some people say the younger generation is narcissistic. You're here to set this right."

Catalonotti's charge to the student leaders to reach beyond themselves capped off a day in which they played games to get to know each other and faced personal and team challenges on a Project Adventure ropes course.

This is the first group of students to participate in the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy, a new program of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation.

The Leadership Academy, geared towards ninth and tenth-grade students in Valley schools and Job Corps students, was developed to enhance leadership skills and provide youth with a stronger connection to the Blackstone Valley. It is modeled after the successful adult Leadership Blackstone Valley program, designed to cultivate a network of emerging leaders to serve as stewards of the Blackstone River Valley. The Youth Leadership Academy will culminate in a community service project created and implemented by the students.

Assessing the array of rope ladder contraptions and rock-climbing wall equipment set up in the Job Corps' gym, Blackstone Valley Tech sophomore Kristin Lorange said, "This is so much fun. I didn't think we'd get the opportunity to do cool things. My principal told me about [the Leadership Academy], and said it would be good for leadership skills."

Northbridge High School sophomore Brianna Carey, who's already involved with student council, was nominated for the Leadership Academy by her guidance counselor, Kathleen McCarthy.

Said Carey: "I'm surprised to get to know all these kids. Not everyone is hanging out together from the same school."

Northbridge freshman Michael Szkutak added that the group talked a lot about what's different about their respective schools.

Breaking down school, town, and even state barriers is one of the objectives of the Leadership Academy, according to coordinator Mary Lou Anderson. While this class includes only one Rhode Island student, Samantha Pellerin from Burrillville High School, Anderson hopes to recruit more for future classes. In the meantime, Pellerin jumped right in to belay other students and challenge herself on rope structures 30 feet above the gym floor.

"Who will be the next (former business and community leader) Gerry Gaudette? Who will be the next (chairman of Grafton Board of Selectmen) Sue Mills? Who will be the next Robert Catalonotti?" asked Rossiter in his final comments to the class. With this energetic group of young leaders, it is clear the Blackstone Valley will be in good hands.

Susan Spencer, Director
Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation
"Focus on Education" December 2004

Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce
110 Church St.
Whitinsville, MA 01588-1442
Phone: 508.234.9090
Fax: 508.234.5152
administrator@blackstonevalley.org
An Affiliate of the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce
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