This year’s Leadership Award winner of the Oxford-Lafayette County Junior Leadership Program is Oxford High School sophomore Grace Dyer.
The program which began in 1998 had had over 500 participants. Senior Vice President of the Oxford – Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Pam Swain is the coordinator of the program. HottyToddy.com recently met with Grace to talk about her award and her exciting future.
HottyToddy.com: Grace, before getting into the Jr. Leadership Program, share with our readers who Grace Thompson Dyer is.
Grace Dyer: I am 16 years old and recently moved to Oxford from Memphis two years ago. I am very active in school clubs and programs as well as volunteering in the community with “More Than A Meal”. I am also a member of Young Life, the high school swim team and hold a four-point-plus GPA. Since being in high school, I have yet to make a B.
HottyToddy.com: Wow! Bs were something I cherished. You relocated from Memphis at an interesting time in your schooling. Was this difficult for you?
Grace Dyer: Yes it was. Leaving my friends at St. Agnes was not easy for me. However, I couldn’t be happier. My older sister, Morgan, is a sophomore at Ole Miss and is the
Housing Chair for Kappa. The move was harder for me than Morgan as she had already graduated from high school and was moving on to college.
HottyToddy.com: What was one thing that you took away from the Jr. Leadership Program that will influence you in future years?
Grace Dyer: Don’t be afraid to be a leader and ask questions. Often it’s scary for one to step out of their comfort zone and you should not be afraid in doing so.
HottyToddy.com: There were 22 students in this year’s program. How were you chosen?
Grace Dyer: We were asked to submit an application with two reference letters. It’s a program exclusively for sophomores. As to the 2016 Leadership Award, this came about from the vote of the entire class participating. When I realized who the emcee was describing was me (the Beta Club gave it away), I thought “Oh gosh, that’s me!”
HottyToddy.com: When your résumé was read at the program on Monday night, I thought I was hearing a superstar being described, and I was correct.
Grace Dyer: I try to stay very active. I have also participated in sports other than swimming including soccer, tennis, softball and volleyball. I am not a runner.
HottyToddy.com: Let’s assume for just a moment that you could be going somewhere to college other than Ole Miss. What would be your dream school along with a full scholarship?
Grace Dyer: The University of Alabama. It’s in the south and not that far away.
HottyToddy.com: We understand that for such a young lady, you’re quite traveled. Share with us three countries that are in your future to visit.
Grace Dyer: France, England and India. I would gladly revisit Italy if the opportunity surfaces.
HottyToddy.com: Do you have any role models or favorite programs or movies?
Grace Dyer: The television series “One Tree Hill” and “Grey’s Anatomy” are favorites of mine. I very much enjoyed the movie “Fifty First Dates.”
Here’s what Pam Swain had to say about Grace: “Grace was such a leader among the group from the very beginning. She is a dedicated young lady with a bright future ahead of her.”
We couldn’t agree more with Pam. Grace has all the ingredients to be a success in life in whatever direction she takes. Her glowing personality only reinforces this prediction!
To learn more about the Jr. Leadership Program, visit www.oxfordms.com or contact Pam directly at the Oxford – Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
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