Seven juniors from Pinewood Preparatory School are participating in the Palmetto Youth Leadership (PYL) program created by the Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission.

 PYL, designed in 1997, is a unique leadership experience for students in Dorchester County. The objectives of PYL are to provide leadership development for high school juniors through their participation in a County Core Curriculum, foster leadership development through exposure to the infrastructure of Dorchester County and promote leadership characteristics through participation in volunteer service opportunities.

 Pinewood Juniors Abby Rauton, Johnson Tapp, Amber Venters, Amber Locklear, Julia Kauffman, Danielle Are and Katie Iannace will take part in 60 hours of instruction.

 "Having these outstanding students participate in a program such as this emphasizes one of the missions of Pinewood. We focus and encourage the growth of the total student and how that relates to the community in which we live," said Pinewood Headmaster, Dr. Glyn Cowlishaw.

 In total the students will participate in six full days of meetings, which include two retreats and four field trips to a variety of learning sites. Topics range from team building, leadership styles and personal/interpersonal skills to exploring public safety, criminal justice, natural resources, county and town government, economic development, human services and the history of Dorchester County. Students are also required to complete ten hours of volunteer activities.

Jan Oglietti, PYL Coordinator and Director of Prevention Services for Dorchester Alcohol and Drug Commission, says PYL provides students with an interactive learning experience. "Students get to partner with other high school students from all over the county. It also provides opportunities to learn from people who are leaders in businesses, government industries and many other areas within Dorchester County."