Marion County High School junior Mandy Courtwright has been named the MCPS Student Ambassador of the Week by ambassador advisors Laurie Followell and Jason Simpson.
This is Courtwright’s second year as a student ambassador.
“Mandy is a natural leader who has demonstrated her leadership skills many times,” Followell said. “She has the innate ability to see what needs to be done in a situation and immediately take care of it. Her public speaking ability continues to flourish as she takes on more ambassador responsibilities. Recently, she led a tour of MCHS when Leadership Lebanon visited our school, and she confidently kept this group interested and informed.”
Simpson echoed those sentiments:
“Mandy’s ability to interact with guests to our school system and highlight some of the positive things happening in MCPS really represents the core mission of the student ambassador program,” Simpson said. “She’s an excellent public speaker, and just as importantly, has the unique ability to provide some very mature insights.”
Courtwright noted that her experience as a student ambassador has given her a new perspective on youth leadership.
“My Student Ambassador has been fun because every single event that I’ve worked, I’ve never not had the time of my life,” she said. “And while Student Ambassadors is about leadership, it also teaches me how fun leadership is.”
Among the events Courtwright said she was looking forward to this year is the annual Young Leaders Conference, which she attended as an elementary school student.
“[The Young Leaders Conference] always made me want to be a Student Ambassador, so to finally get to work that and come up with fun ideas to get the next generation into leadership was a lot of fun.”
She also encouraged younger students to consider applying to the ambassador program when they reach the high school.
“Once you get in, you’re never unprepared, you’re always taught exactly what you need to do, and I just think it’s the perfect opportunity to further your leadership skills,” she said.
Now in its eighth year, the MCPS Student Ambassador organization provides leadership and public speaking opportunities to its members as they represent the school district at community and school events.