As one of the 5 co-founders of Youth Leadership Collier, I am proud to continue supporting the program which nurtures our future leaders! This program is offered to all county students during the summer between their Junior and Senior years of high school. Public, Charter, Private schools including the PACE Center and Home Schoolers are eligible to apply. Students are required to complete an application, answer essay questions and participate in an interview process.
Thirty-four students are selected from a field of applicants, routinely over 70 students apply. The program is established to help students who exhibit Leadership potential but may need a boost to reach their full Leadership potential. The program consists of a weekend retreat and 5 days of activities including: Agriculture Day, Government Day, Healthcare/Human Services Day, Commerce/Arts and Tourism Day and Growth Management/Environmental Day. The program ends with a graduation ceremony.
On June 10, 2025, the students visited the Collier County Government Center for a tour during Government Day. This event provides an overview of judicial and government business and provides an inside look at government operations through personal anecdotes of our leaders. It was a remarkable day filled with interesting activities and talks from our own Community Leaders. Former State Senator Garrett Richter joined us and spoke to the students about “dressing for the job you want”. Meanwhile, several constitutional officers, including Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier, Property Appraiser Vicki Downs, and Tax Collector Rob Stoneburner, shared an overview of our constitutional roles and responsibilities. Students experienced a court room case presented by the Honorable Judge Tamara Nicola. Students gained firsthand insight into the jail system and government security operations and participated in a mock crime scene investigation led by the Sheriff’s Office. To conclude the day, they took part in a Mock County Commission Meeting, stepping into the roles of Commissioners, the County Manager, County Attorney, and members of the public to debate—affordable housing in Collier County.