The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) — A team of five students from Alleghany High School has been selected as one of 100 teams nationwide to participate in the prestigious Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness program.
This year, more than 1,000 high school teams opened an application to join the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness program. A group of judges reviews all applications and picks 100 teams based on their project ideas and leadership potential.
The chosen teams show strong commitment and the ability to make a real difference in their communities.
Led by senior Peyton Broughman, the AHS group is focused on developing youth-led community garden projects aimed at promoting environmental awareness and community engagement. From July 28-30, Broughman attended an intensive leadership training in Princeton, N.J., designed to prepare her to lead her team throughout the school year.
Broughman expressed excitement about the project’s growth and the opportunity to collaborate with peers nationwide. The training featured workshops that helped build leadership skills, encouraged creative problem-solving, and foster meaningful connections among student leaders from across the country. She described the experience as “diverse and inspiring,” emphasizing how it broadened her perspective on teamwork and community service.
“It was nice working with like-minded people focused on important topics like food insecurity and voter participation. It gave me a lot of insight and got me out of my shell and collaborating with people,” she said of her leadership colleagues, ages 14-24. “I want this to be an established project for many years to come.”
During the 2025-2026 school year, the AHS team will work to set clear, attainable goals to expand their community garden initiative. Alongside Broughman, the team includes Joowon Chung, Elijah Halterman, Taylor Jenkins, and Zeke Saville, who bring a wide range of interests and career aspirations, including law, mental health, journalism, healthcare, and electrical work. All five students are juniors or seniors at the high school.
Before selecting the garden project, the team explored several other worthwhile ideas, such as supporting individuals with chronic illnesses and promoting voter registration among young people. Broughman noted that while many teams focused on voter engagement, Alleghany’s project stood out for its unique environmental focus, offering a fresh perspective within the nationwide program.
Community members interested in following the team’s journey and progress can connect with them on Instagram at greengennext. The team is also considering launching a Facebook page.
About the Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness Program
The Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness program was created to empower high school students across the country to become stronger, more effective leaders in their communities. It provides students with opportunities to design and implement projects that create positive change, particularly in areas such as voting, community service, and civic engagement. Over the years, the program has helped thousands of students develop essential skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership while inspiring them to actively participate and make their voices heard in their communities.
