Emerging student leaders to host annual fall festival

Students in Austin Community College's Emerging Leadership Challenge (ELC) program hosted their free annual fall festival, from 12-5 p.m. Nov. 19 at Lake Bastrop Lodge in Bastrop, Texas.

At the festival, titled "Fall Into a Good Time," guests enjoyed live music from the Gustavo-Rodriguez Band, DJ Nick Mangum.

There was face painting, henna tattooing, a moon bounce for the kids, a silent auction, hay rides around the lodge and food provided by H-E-B.

All proceeds and revenue generated benefited Central Texas wildfire victims and Southwest Key Programs, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping youth with incarceration alternatives and transformative education.

Festival organizers, ELC members and students Paula Smith and Jada Grey- Hernandez came up with this year's theme and wanted to find a way to assist Bastrop fire victims through the festival.

"We wanted to do something fun for the kids out in Bastrop who were affected by the wildfires, to maybe help them forget about all the bad stuff that has happened," Grey-Hernandez said. "That was the whole premise, to have some fun for the kids and the families, so they could start the holiday season off with a brighter outlook."

In addition to assisting the needs of Bastrop fire victims, Smith explains that they also wanted to aid youth in preparing for college. That's where Southwest Key Programs ties in.

"They have a college prep program, where they send children from East Austin in to try and prepare for college," Smith said. "We wanted to bridge [them and the wildfire victims] together."

The ELC is a seven-week leadership training program limited to up to thirty ACC students, according to ACC's Office of Student Life website. Students accepted into the program learn about themselves, their roles as a leader and how to work in teams.

Students interested in joining the ELC program in the future can contact Emerging Leadership Adviser and Student Life Coordinator Eileen Galvez at 512-223-9172 or egalvez@austincc.edu.

Prior to the beginning of the program, members take an online assessment to determine their leadership style. From there, they work together as a team to form service projects.