Chamber Director Christy Burns kicked off the festivities by giving a warm welcome and sharing appreciation for the class. “They have demonstrated dedication, perseverance, and a passion for bettering our community," Burns said. “Tonight, we honor not just our graduates, but the bright future of Hope and Hempstead County.”

To compliment the graduating class, special guest speaker Mayor Don Still provided a few words of appreciation for their hard work and spoke about the qualities of a good leader. He said leaders should continue to grow, show support, and invest in something they believe in and great things will come for these participants.  

One such participant is SWARK.Today’s very own Shelly Short, who said this program is one that will have a lasting impact. “The Hempstead County Leadership program has been an enriching experience. It has expanded my knowledge of our community, and it has fostered meaningful connections with the amazing people in this room,” she said. 

Short expressed these sentiments during her presentation. which was about one of the program sessions the class attended this year. Each class member presented information to guests about the different sessions, as well as the knowledge they gained from each. Sessions covered topics like health and human services, local government, tourism, education, and more. During her presentation, Devin Greene shared a similar impression to that of Short about the program. “I’m glad I was able to be a part of this,” she said.

Another graduate of the night, Holli Boyett, spoke on behalf of the class about its chosen community project. Together, the class created an interactive brochure and flyer about the great tourist attractions of Hope and Hempstead County and then placed them around town at different locations. “We wanted to get tourists and locals alike excited about all there is to see, do, and visit in Hope,” Boyett said. “We wanted to create community pride by showing off our local resources.”

After presentations, each graduate received a certificate and gift for completion of the program and then had a quick photo op alongside Burns and Chamber Board President Maurice Henry. A special announcement was then made by Chamber board member Arnetta Bradford, who presented personal congratulatory letters to the graduates from Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The ceremony was followed by a small reception with snacks, and Burns closed the night by announcing that applications were now open for next year’s Leadership Hope Hempstead County.

The full list of the Leadership Hope Hempstead County Class of 2024 is as follows:

-Angelica Manzanares (Hope Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce)
-Betty Wingfield (Hempstead County Cooperative Extension)
-Brady Moses (Farmers Bank & Trust)
-Brandi Tuttle (Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation)
-Carol Ann Duke (not pictured) (Hope Public Schools)
-Devin Greene (AEP/SWEPCO Turk Power Plant)
-Holli Boyett (The Call)
-Kishanda Beasley (Red River Credit Union)
-Shelly Short (SWARK.Today)

To learn more about Leadership Hope Hempstead County, click HERE.