The Southern Pines Rotary Club welcomed the two students from Pinecrest High School whom they sponsored to receive scholarships to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Camp, hosted by the Greensboro Rotary Club.

Garrett Berk and Jacob Monroe, both juniors at Pinecrest, attended the camp for one week this past summer, along with 53 other students, on the campus of Guilford College.

The students were nominated by a teacher and then were interviewed by Pinecrest High School adviser Dennis Lefond, and Linda Pearson, of the Southern Pines Rotary Club and executive director of United Way, Moore County.

"These two fine young men were very deserving of scholarships to the leadership camp," says Pearson. "They both exhibited strong leadership qualities, were involved in many activities at school and in the community, and had the desire to learn and prepare for their futures."

Rotary Youth Leadership Camp helps participants have more confidence in themselves, learn and practice team building skills, appreciate different leadership styles and improve their communication skills.

"The program offers very little lecturing and lots of action: exercises, simulations, discussions and games to illustrate leadership concepts," says Lefond, who is also the scholarship coordinator at Pinecrest.

And the results?

"It helped me to put the theories of leadership into reality," says Monroe.

And Garrett Berk echoed the positive experience.

"We learned leadership skills that will stay with us for the rest of our lives," he says.

Each year the Southern Pines Rotary Club sponsors eligible Pinecrest High School students for attendance at Rotary Youth Leadership Camp as part of their community service.

Contact Susie Buchanan, public relations chairman, at (910) 246-3125.