The 2013 Student Leadership Series (SLS) revisited Greenville, South Carolina  this week with stops at Berea Middle School and Lakeview Middle School, and broke ground in Columbia, with a visit to Richland Northeast High School. The program served over 1500 students and teachers. USHLI is very grateful to Lee McElveen from the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs; Gregory Torrales from the South Carolina Hispanic Leadership Council; as well as all regional sponsors for their leadership, generosity, and partnership in arranging the events.  USHLI would also like to thank Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin for hosting a reception and his strong vocal support of our Student Leadership Series. 

Our featured speaker was Carlos Ojeda, Jr., rated among the best motivational speakers in the nation.  Students and teachers alike heard his clear and powerful message - believe in yourself, stay in school, improve your academic performance, use your voice and ask questions, and take advantage of the post-secondary options and financial aid available and be successful in life and career. 

SLS participating schools will see their students become better motivated, more involved in extracurricular activities, more determined to succeed academically and in life, and better prepared to enter the workforce. Over 62,191 students in 19 states have been reached to date in 2013.