Clouds and rain did not dampen the spirits of approximately 60 students from Cumberland County High School, Prince Edward County High School, Fuqua School, and keep the various panel speakers, keynote speaker and area organization representatives involved in the inaugural Leadership Farmville Youth Summit, which took place Tuesday at Hampden-Sydney College.

Taking seats at the top floor of the Bortz Library, students had the opportunity to learn tips on networking, digital footprints and interact with local business and government leaders.

The event was sponsored by the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce and headed by Cumberland County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Amy Griffin.

The five-hour event, which began at 9 a.m., saw a compelling keynote address given by Dr. Tom Epperson, president of the nonprofit InnerWill, a leadership training program that originated from Luck Stone, a stone, sand and gravel production organization in the U.S.

During a local business panel, students got to ask questions to WFLO Radio Station Manager Chris Brochon, Centra Southside Community Hospital Representative Claudia Meinhard and The Fishin’ Pig Representative Nash Osborn.

A local government panel included Hampden District Supervisor Dr. Odessa Pride with the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator and Attorney Vivian Seay Giles with Cumberland County, and Town of Farmville Mayor David Whitus.

Joy Stump, executive director with Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce, said she was excited about the event and said they expected to look into a future youth summit.

“We were extremely pleased with the entire event,” Stump said Wednesday. “The speakers who came out were very inspiring and did a fantastic job, and we hope that the students really got a lot out of the day, and we hope to continue the event.”

The summit was based from a Leadership Farmville program that the chamber has sponsored in the past, and aim to begin again this year.

Nadia Elasha, a student at Cumberland County High School, said she enjoyed the event and compared it favorably with other leadership conferences she has attended in the past.

“The speakers have been really good,” Elasha said.

Sebastian Cannady, a student at Fuqua School, said he enjoyed the break out session that addressed internships.

Griffin said she was happy to see the students and area organizations unite to hone skills that could better the students’ futures and the future of their communities.

“We’re very excited to have the three schools: Cumberland High School, Prince Edward High School and Fuqua, come together to learn about leadership,” Griffin said Tuesday.

Rucker Snead, director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest at Hampden-Sydney, said the college was glad to host the event.

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for our current high school students, our future leaders, to get them understanding about the community, how to start developing their leadership skills and potential so they can ultimately come back and be leaders within our community,” Snead said.