The Conway Area Youth Leadership Institute (CAYLI) held its graduation ceremony April 4 at UCA's Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center. St. Joseph High School juniors Olivia Keisling, Ella Rose, Izzy Garrett and Emma Allison were among the 22 graduates. Junior Class Sponsor Alicia Yrle was also there to support these girls.
Established in 1995, CAYLI is a school-year program for 11th and 12th graders in Faulkner County. In recent years, it partnered with UCA's Division of outreach and Community Engagement. The program consists of a two-day retreat and seven monthly sessions designed to expose participants about opportunities for community development and improvement. Human services, education, healthcare, the world of work, technology, local government/ court systems, the environment and agriculture are among the entities observed. Over 500 students have graduated from CAYLI since its inception. During the ceremony, each graduate gave a speech about their experience and what it meant to them.