Class of 2009 – 2010
Healthy Babies/Brighter Future Baby Wellness
Team Members: Cyndean Jennings, Lautausha Shell, Felicia Stallworth
Project Sponsor: United Way of Kenosha County
The African American infant mortality rate in Kenosha County is one of the highest in the state of Wisconsin, and currently outpaces the nation as well. In 2006, African American infants who were born in Kenosha County died at a rate of more than seven times that of Whites. To bring awareness to the issue in Kenosha County, the team worked with the United Way of Kenosha County to organize and implement the Healthy Babies/Brighter Future Baby Wellness Expo at the Brass Community School.
The expo was designed to raise awareness and provide information and resources to the community, including workshops on topics such as access to prenatal care, home and car safety, stress reduction, infant nutrition, smoking cessation and safe sleep. The team also secured donations of raffle prizes and pizza for the expo. This team won Leadership Kenosha’s “Project of the Year” award.
Well City Kenosha Project
Team Members: Emily Delabrue, Liz Peyton, Jean Preston
Project Sponsor: Don Gillespie & Guida Brown, Kenosha Community Healthcare Initiative (KCHI)
The Kenosha Community Healthcare Initiative (KCHI), is a volunteer group of employers that is invested in improving the health of Kenosha residents through the sponsoring of health and wellness events. The Leadership Kenosha team organized and implemented a kickoff breakfast for local business leaders to generate interest in the Well City Initiative, a national program to create a healthier American workforce by engaging entire business communities in improving the health and well-being of their workforces.
Ninety-three people attended the breakfast, including heads of corporations, institutions of higher education, government agencies and non-profit organizations. Unfortunately, although the community demonstrated obvious interest in the initiative, the Wellness Council of Wisconsin was forced to put Kenosha on its wait-list in April, due to limitations of how many cities can join the program each year.
Helping LGBT Youth
Team Members: Susan Larkin, Kristen Lie, Mary Spence
Project Sponsor: Bruce Joffe, LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin
The LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin provides services and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in Kenosha, Racine, and the surrounding area. Working with the Center’s Kenosha-based youth coordinators, the Leadership Kenosha team created youth-oriented marketing materials, including bookmarks, business cards, flyers and a YouTube video. The Center’s youth coordinators, executive director and board of directors are working together to determine the best methods to distribute the materials so that LGBT youth in Kenosha are aware of this resource.
Leadership Kenosha Marketing Project
Team Members: Kristin Gunia, Colleen Kane, Kimmberly Peters,
Project Sponsor: Leadership Kenosha Steering Committee
The team was asked to develop new, creative marketing strategies to spark more interest in the Leadership Kenosha (LK) program and help find recruits for future years. Centered on the idea that the marketing should focus on one-on-one business calls and raising awareness of LK with community leaders, the team produced a recommendation for an alumni-based recruiting/marketing campaign. This included: a letter to generate alumni support and commitment for LK program recruitment; a list of targeted businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies which would benefit from participation in the LK program; a list of local civic organizations at which LK could be highlighted; and a presentation that may be used as a starting point when speaking to civic organizations.
