LEADERSHIP GRADUATES — The Leadership Ohio Valley Class of 2025 officially graduated from the program organized by the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce Sunday, with a luncheon held at Lauttamus Communications and catered by Giometti’s Catering. The Class of 2025 includes, in front from left, Jennifer O’Neill, Dawn Smith, Heather Southern, Elizabeth Smith, Lettie Muynila, Lavonnia Montgomery, and Danielle Stroud, and in back, Ira Aracich, Nathaniel Kurty, Kevan Brown, and Clark Miller. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — The 11 graduating members of the Leadership Ohio Valley Class of 2025 faced a variety of challenges in their seven-month journey.

Officials with the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the program, hope the experiences learning about teamwork, organizing a project in service of the community, and even a few cases of poison oak, will assist them in their future.

“You all made it. Congratulations,” Chamber President Brenda Mull said in greeting the class as they gathered Sunday for a graduation luncheon held at Lauttamus Communications.

Leadership Ohio Valley is a program designed not only to highlight aspects of the community – including education, history, healthcare, government, and business – but to challenge its participants into learning more about themselves, how to work together, opportunities to give their time toward a cause, and get out of their comfort zone, all in the hope of encouraging classes to step forward and take a greater role in their business or their towns.

“As a class, you did. You took that step forward,” Mull said.

With some guidance from the chamber, the class members plan and organize each of their monthly sessions, focused on topics of Health and Human Services, Government, Education, History and Culture, and Business and Economic Development. They kick off their program with a True Colors exercise and a Simulated Society program.

They also must attend one local governmental meeting, one meeting of a civic organization, volunteer six hours of their time at an event or with a local organization, and work together, as a class, on a service project.

Mull noted previous classes have looked at big projects to make a splash, but said, sometimes, scaling it down is better.

“The smaller things you choose to do are so appreciated, you make a bigger impact,” Mull said.

The Class of 2025 chose to perform landscaping and outdoor cleaning at the House of Hope, a division of the Weirton Christian Center’s ministry located on Orchard Street. During the cleanup, several members of the class were exposed to poison oak.

“It was truly the gift that kept on giving,” joked class member Ira Aracich.

During Sunday’s luncheon, the graduates were presented with some medicated wipes in memory of that particular experience, as well as a few other gifts reflective of their time together.

Mull took one more moment to encourage them and offer some words of wisdom, asking them to reflect on their journey, think about what they learned, and use it as they move forward.

“Each and every one of you can do anything you set your mind to,” she said. “Don’t ever be afraid to take a deep breath and take that step forward.”

The Leadership Ohio Valley Class of 2025, and their sponsors, include Ira Aracich, Hancock County Commission; Kevan Brown, IBEW Local 246; Nathaniel Kurty, Bulldog Rack; Clark Miller, Business Development Corp.; Lavonnia Montgomery, Howard Hanna Mortimer Realty; Lettie Muynila, Weirton Geriatric Center; Jennifer O’Neill, Brooke and Hancock Young Professionals; Dawn Smith, City of Weirton; Elizabeth Smith, True North LLC; Heather Southern, First Commonwealth Bank; and Danielle Stroud, CHANGE, Inc.