Jordan Scholars at the Polk County Supervisors

Wednesday, October 26, 2016, local students selected for the West Des Moines Historical Society’s James Jordan Scholars Leadership Institute met with Polk County Supervisors for a discussion of the many opportunities for young leaders to become involved in politics and volunteering in the metro. Discussions also included the recent Supervisor’s work on the proposal to raise the minimum wage in Polk County, with the Scholars gaining valuable insight on the behind the scenes processes involved in local government.

This is the second year for the James Jordan Scholars Leadership Institute, bringing together area high school juniors with leaders in business, politics and philanthropy; all areas in which James Jordan excelled. There are 20 students, representing 10 local high schools. Scholars are selected by their teachers and school administrators, and must understand the important role of community service and the nature of leadership.

The Jordan Scholars Institute provides an interactive learning experience for Central Iowa students, enabling visits with leaders from organizations such as Kemin Industries, West Bank, the Word Food Prize, the City of West Des Moines and the West Des Moines Community Foundation.

Picture caption: (from left to right)
Sarah Boese, Rony Molia Martinez, Bishnu Adhikari, John F. Mauro, Alejandro Zarate, Leslie Perez, Tom Hockensmith, Angela Connolly, Emily Bogel, Madeleine Jennisch, Robert Brownell, Madeleine Smith, Joselyn Cardenas-Flores, Mark Nagel, JJ Kapur, Haley Dostalik, Emma Peterson, Henry Frantz, Steve Van Oort, Nyakota Ding, Connor Urquhart