Shelby County Leadership Summit 2018 — a full day of keynotes, team-building, and intentional connection for 250+ of the county’s most promising student leaders.
Every year, Shelby County Public Schools gathers hundreds of its most promising high school student leaders for a summit built around one conviction: that real leadership begins with a willingness to serve. The 2018 summit took that conviction seriously — anchoring the entire day around the vision statement that set the tone from the moment students walked in.
“If service is beneath you, then leading is beyond you.”
For the past several years, Elevate has been the team trusted to bring this day to life — and 2018 was no exception. Over 250 students spent the day hearing from four keynote speakers, working through seven team-building activities, and engaging in table talk discussions designed to turn leadership principles into something personal and actionable.
It’s never too early to become an influential leader. This summit exists to prove it — and we’re proud to help make that case every year.
Getting 250+ high school students engaged — genuinely engaged — for a full day of learning takes more than good content. It takes the right environment.
Create a summit experience that was exciting and energizing enough to hold the attention of hundreds of high school students, while delivering leadership content with enough depth and intentionality to actually stick.
ApproachWe worked alongside the Shelby County team from the ground up — ideating group activities, writing table talk discussion questions, connecting with keynote speakers, and designing a run of show that balanced high-energy moments with focused, meaningful content. Seven activations. Four speakers. One cohesive day.
Four people running a full day of leadership programming for 250+ students.
The room was packed with student leaders from across the county — and they showed up ready. Keynote speakers Lewis Brooks, Kevin Scott, John Milton, and Jackie Staley each brought a distinct perspective on servant leadership that gave students something real to wrestle with. Table Talks turned those ideas into conversations. And seven activations — including Greet Like a Stranger Greet Like a Friend, Song Scramble, Just Dance, and Left or Right — made sure the energy never dipped between sessions.
Students left the 2018 Shelby County Leadership Summit with more than a notebook full of quotes. They left with a clearer sense of what leadership actually looks like when it’s lived from the inside out. That’s what this summit is built for — and that’s why we keep showing up for it.
Whether you’re planning for 50 or 5,000, we design, plan, and produce events that people actually remember.
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