(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.)  Mosaic Life Care Foundation’s e2 Fellowship high school leadership program will begin Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The e2 Fellowship program is a high school leadership program involving students and teachers, that meets four times throughout the academic year. 

The program works on enhancing leadership, communication and relationship skills among student leaders throughout the area.  

It is designed to understand and learn the different skills that students can bring to the table, and in turn, take back to their schools to help enhance student involvement.

"So, if we're going to impact change, why do we need adults here and why do we need students here? Those are two big variables and unfortunately in our communities, we don't bring them together much," said Devran Brower of emPowerU,  "The adults do their thing, the kids do their thing and we never get on the same page. So, they are going to answer that question a little more for us but right upfront, it's just bringing them together to have those conversations and we know conversations can start change."

Two students and one adult sponsor from surrounding schools participate in the program each year.   

Emily Welter, a student at Bishop LeBlond High School said, "I haven't really been to anything like this before. And so, I think it's like really cool to learn new stuff and be in a different atmosphere and be with other people that want to learn as much as you do."

Veteran sponsor Val Jones has participated in the program for two years now.  The East Buchanan High School teacher said she looks to her students for inspiration everyday, and hopes that her students learn the importance of collaboration when it comes to leadership. 

"It's very important for us because we wouldn't have such a thing," said Jones.  "Without it, there wouldn't be anything equal to this experience at all."

For more information on emPowerU programming opportunities, please contact Devran Brower at 271.7910 or devran.brower@mlcfoundation.com.