Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/809553
A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 7 M A C O N M A G A Z I N E | 17 The OneMacon Way OneMacon is an alliance of more than 40 private, public and nonprofit organizations committed to the growth and prosperity of Macon-Bibb through a collaborative, strategic plan. The implementation is organized on three community pillars: jobs, schools and place. OneMacon connects various community-building organizations to define a new culture of community progress and striving to make a positive impact on the region by believing and activating the "OneMacon Way!" Among the successes of the OneMacon plan in action is the implementation of the "The Leader in Me," a student-led leadership program currently in place with Bibb County Schools, in collaboration with the Business Education Partnership (BEP) The following is an expert from the blog found on OneMacon.org: "I was smart, but I was just bad. I was hanging with the wrong crowd," said Edren, a fifth-grade student Burdell- Hunt Magnet School. A big statement for such a young student, but Edren's newly discovered accountability is leading him to making good choices and a complete transformation at school. Teaching this kind of self- realization and the importance of good choices can have a significant impact on students' lives. That's why 1,750 Bibb County students, are participating in "The Leader In Me" program, now in its second year at Burdell-Hunt Magnet and Sonny Carter elementary schools and in its first year at Hartley and Bernd elementary schools. The program is based on best-in- class content and concepts practiced by education thought-leaders. Guided by Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, "The Leader In Me" teaches enduring values and principles that students can use throughout their lives, in and outside the classroom, preparing them for college and beyond. The program has been so successful at Burdell-Hunt Magnet and Sonny Carter that the BEP is now raising funds to start programs in the system's remaining 22 elementary and 6 middle schools within two years. To read more, visit the OneMacon Way! Blog:onemacon.org. To learn more about implementing The Leader in Me in our local school system or to make a contribution, visit MacontheLeaderinMe.com.