Three local students recently completed leadership training through a program sponsored by the Virginia Police Chief’s Foundation.

Ariel James, Sara Garrett and Whitney Crawford were nominated to participate in &uot;Cycle,&uot; by their school resource officer, Suffolk Police School Resource Officer Andre L. Weaver, or a teacher or counselor.

Weaver said students from across the state were chosen to take part in the Commonwealth Youth Conference for Leadership Effectiveness (Cycle). Students were required to write a 150-word essay on &uot;Building Leaders for a Changing America.&uot;

The students are all from Nansemond River High School and they got their first taste of college life when they traveled to Blacksburg, to take part in the Cycle program at Virginia Tech.

&uot;The mission of the Cycle program is to provide the highest quality opportunity to young people across the Commonwealth of Virginia to both learn and use leadership skills to become valuable, contributing members of society,&uot; said Weaver. &uot;This program strives to promote an environment where future leaders can learn and embrace the values of their diversity.&uot;

Students are also able to demonstrate a better understanding of self and how to relate to others, and they develop problem analysis skills to assist in decision-making.

&uot;It also helps the students understand their role in the communities in which they live,&uot; Weaver explained. &uot;The students learn and participate in activities that will assist in the development of their leadership skills and that will ultimately define who they are in the future.&uot;

This special conference was of no cost to parents. The Virginia Police Chief’s Foundation paid approximately $600 per student attending.

Suffolk’s Chief of Police W.A. Freeman is a member of the Foundation.

Weaver and Chief Freeman sent special thanks to Deborah Williams, director of guidance at Nansemond River High, and Tom McLemore, principal.