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Tech gives high school students agriculture crash course at Tennessee Leadership Summit
Counselors at the 2023 Tennessee Leadership Summit.
Tennessee Tech University’s School of Agriculture and Human Ecology recently welcomed
more than 80 high school students from 48 Tennessee counties to campus for the fourth
annual Tennessee Leadership Summit. The event was held in partnership with the Tennessee
Farm Bureau Federation.
High school juniors and seniors spent the six-day event attending dynamic lectures
and classroom sessions, participating in workshops and completing local service projects.
Farm Bureau staff worked closely with university faculty and staff to develop the
program’s curriculum, which focuses on leadership, cooperation and developing an understanding
of the critical importance of Tennessee’s agriculture industry.
Students were selected for the summit by their county Farm Bureau office, which also
sponsored the fee for their attendance, allowing students to attend at no cost to
them. Attendees got a preview of university life by staying in the residence halls,
eating in The Caf, and exploring the university’s campus and academic offerings with
the help of a Student Orientation Assistant.
“My favorite part of Leadership Summit was getting to connect with industry leaders
and seeing the people that put on this program. The whole thing in general was an
amazing time,” said Caleb Limbert, a summit attendee from Rutherford County.
“I learned a bunch of different things that go together in leadership, like trust
and vulnerability,” added Abby Rippy, a summit attendee from Sumner County.
Students who attended the summit also received a copy of the bestselling book “StrengthsFinder
2.0,” which helps readers identify their personal leadership qualities. The students
then put their leadership lessons to work by volunteering in and around the Cookeville
community, including at the animal shelter, homeless shelter and a local food pantry.
Leadership Summit attendees help plant a garden as part of a community service project.
“I really enjoyed making connections with my small group, helping them come out of
their shell, getting their opinions on things outside of a large group setting and
making them feel more comfortable,” said Olivia Moore, a Tech alumna and Leadership
Summit counselor.
Organizers marked the end of the summit with a closing banquet attended by local industry
leaders. Each student attendee was awarded a certificate of completion and encouraged
to utilize their personal leadership skills in the community.
Learn more about the Tennessee Leadership Summit and opportunities for 2024 by contacting
Dennis Duncan, professor of agriculture at Tech, at dduncan@tntech.edu.
Sheridan Roberts is a student writer in the School of Agriculture and Human Ecology
at Tennessee Tech University.
