The Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce announced 26 local high school sophomores have graduated from the 2025 class of Junior Leadership program.

Over the course of three months, the students have engaged in a wide range of diverse topics, including leadership development, team building, and community engagement with various sectors such as the university, legal, medical, and arts communities.

The program culminated with a graduation dinner on April 29 to celebrate the achievements of the participants and their commitment to making a positive impact in their communities.

Roberts Wilson was this year’s Junior Leadership class program sponsor.

“I was thrilled to witness the transformative journey our students embarked on through this program,” said Erin Smith, Junior Leadership Lafayette chair. “By engaging with leaders across various sectors, from law enforcement to the arts, our participants gained invaluable insights and skills essential for future leadership roles. The impact of this exposure is profound, shaping them into informed, empathetic, and proactive community leaders poised to make a difference locally and beyond.”

Participants from Lafayette High School include: Luke Bilbo, Leah Cooper, Miley Massey, Ani Meeks, Molly Riddle, David Swain, AJ Wilburn, Amber Wiley, Kaylee Wilkinson, and Prince Williams.

Participants from Oxford High School include: Luly Beauchamp, William Bouldin, Zach Brummett, Aiden Green, London Gregory, Dee Hankins, Simeon Maiden, Elizabeth McLellan, Riddhi Nautiyal, Anna Reed Perry, Olivia Cate Sherman, Collier Smith, Shelby Sorgenfrei, and Hugh Wilson.

Other participants include: Avery Bell and Sawyer Ward.

The Chamber’s Junior Leadership program is designed for high school sophomores interested in sharpening their leadership skills, learning more about their community, and getting involved in community service.

The program educates and motivates participants while honing their leadership skills.  The program runs annually from late January through April.

Objectives of the Junior Leadership Lafayette Program are to identify and cultivate young leaders in the Oxford and Lafayette County area, foster the early development of leadership skills in youth, encourage participants to exert a strong, positive influence on the future of the city of Oxford and Lafayette County and teach participants to get along well with others and understand the importance of volunteering.

Each year the class chooses a recipient to be honored with a Leadership Award.  This is the class member who has shown great leadership skills, has been present and engaged in the program, and has inspired others in their community service over the course of the program.  This individual is someone who has gone above and beyond and stood out as a true leader among the class.

This year the award was presented to Shelby Sorgenfrei from Oxford High School.

The Chamber’s Junior Leadership program began in 1998 and celebrates 28 years of Junior Leadership with this year’s class.