Youth-adult partnerships is a core component of Session II and fellows who participated in thenational gathering covered a wide span ofages, from teenagers to octogenarians.

In his remarks during the opening session—which began with Native American drumming, song and a Dance of the Maidens offered by members of the Lummi Cedar Project—Session I project leader/coach Harry Goldman of Montana challenged the new fellows to act upon their goodness. “As we act upon our goodness, that is how we can bring about change,” Goldman said.

Kellogg Foundation Program Director Frank Taylor welcomed attendees and said he and his peers are hoping the Session II fellows will assist them in learning more about “how collective leadership works when more of the community is involved.”

For several fellows, the gathering was occasion for their first plane ride and the farthest they'd ever traveled from home.

The distinct character of each Session II community came through during their creative site introductions, which included everything from PowerPoint presentations highlighting local history, scenery and culture; to spoken word performances; dance; music and song. A few of the presentations highlighted unpleasant circumstances that the fellows hope to change for their communities, such as racism and economic inequities. But most presentations featured community elements that are a source of pride.

During the site introductions, fellows fromWest Virginia led the group in singing JohnDenver’s “Take Me Home, Country Road.” Thegroup wore t-shirts that had been dyed in WV coal dust.

During another exercise, intended to illustrate the benefits of youth-adult partnership, attendees were asked to arrange themselves in birth order, from the youngest to the oldest. They were then asked to state what they thought their peer group might contribute to their collective work. Not surprisingly, the elders and adults talked about wisdom and experience, while the youth talked about innovation, daring and energy. The group was encouraged to consider what they might accomplish by working together across age barriers.

Friday’s activities were capped by optional excursions to Graceland and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul museum.

Saturday night’s talent show featured every-thing from Native American dancing, to folk singing, poetry readings and burping the ABC’s. Shown here are Tami Chock (left) and Carmen Bland of the Lummi Cedar Project, performing a traditional Lummi dance.

“We expect you to be individual leaders in your community,” Foster told participants. Collective leadership, however, is only possible when individual leaders agree to work together and to put the community’s interests above their individual interests, he said. “You can’t have collective leadership without individual leaders committed to the collective.”

Foster noted KLCC deliberately aims to include leaders who have not typically been present at the leadership table. The dynamic demographic change that American communities have undergone in recent decades is what inspired the Foundation to create the program so that it crosses traditional boundaries.

“We’re not a melting pot, we’re a tossed salad,” Foster said of the nation. “We [at the Foundation] believe nothing happens, of significance, in the middle of sameness.”

During the three-day session, many fellowswere surprised to discover the similaritiesbetween their communities, despite the num-ber of obvious differences. Shown here areDerek Williams of Benton Harbor; andMaria Maldonado of Chelsea.

Following Foster’s presentation, participants were treated to a talent show featuring fellows and others who performed everything from poetry readings, comedy routines, Native American dances and raps, to folk songs, storytelling, Jujitsu demonstrations, and capoiera and salsa routines. One fellow even burped the ABCs. The evening closed with a music set by the local blues band Don McMinn and Nightrain, featuring blues guitarist/singer Don McMinn and his sons Doug, the drummer, and Rome, the bassist. Many fellows continued to socialize into the early morning hours.

On the closing day, participants exchanged personal reflections about the gathering, exchanged gifts, and enjoyed a digital storytelling project that captured highlights from the experience. Fellows expressed thanks to the Foundation for allowing them the opportunity to become better acquainted with their hometown peers as well as the participants from the other communities.

"I'm really glad I got to participate this time," said Alsie Wolfback, a youth fellow with the Lummi Cedar Project, who was present during a KLCC coaches meeting held in Washington last summer, but at that time served in a support capacity. "It was fun," she said, about the March meeting.

KLCC participants from Sessions I and II exchangedideas about just communities and youth-adult part-nerships during the gathering. Shown here: (l-r) SteveStapleton of the Session II coordinating organization; Ceylane Meyers, project lead for the Buffalo site inSession I; and Carmen Bland and Henry James, fel-lows from the Lummi Cedar Project.

Elayne Dorsey, a member of the KLCC II Coordinating Organization, challenged the group to take what they learned at the gathering and apply it to the work they will pursue in their communities. "When you go home, are you showing up in the world in the same way and in the same spirit that KLCC evokes here?" she asked.

Another comment, one that captured how many participants felt by the end of the gathering, came from the West Virginia site evaluator Marsha Timpson who, during the closing session, invited the group to join her in shouting, "THAT'S AMAZING!"

The next national gathering for Session II fellows will be held sometime in 2007.

Click here to view more photos from the National Gathering.