Leadership Washburn County class of 2024 graduates

SPOONER — The Leadership Washburn County class of 2024 graduated on Thursday, May 2, with a ceremony at Round Man Brewing Co. in Spooner.

The eight-month leadership program has been going on for years, with students sponsored by local organizations receiving opportunities to become better community leaders. The group learns about Washburn County’s facets, including agriculture, government, education, youth and more. At the graduation in May, they receive plaques and give presentations about what they took away from the year.

This year’s graduates are Natalie Bush, Nichole Caudill, Heidi Christman, Samuel Clair, Hailey Fowler, Cydne Grindel, Amber LaRue, Tara Macone, Jennifer Olson, Jessica Robotti, Lindsey Spaulding, Emily Stariha and Warren Tuttle.

Leadership Washburn County Board Chair Lauren Hartwig kicked off the ceremony, saying this year’s class was the first to complete a community project: a bingo fundraiser for the new Oak youth center in Spooner.

Each graduate then gave a speech. Tuttle said he enjoyed the “opportunity to learn more about ourselves and those we work with.”

Tuttle said he learned a lot about new ways to look at himself at agriculture day at Perlick Distillery, and to “take the responsibility but not credit for the work. Become the catalyst for change.”

LaRue said that after the group toured the jail, she found out they needed more employees, so she told her son and he got hired for a job there. She added that this class helped her build good relationships with the others.

“Thank you for the job well done,” she said.

Robotti said it was eight amazing months of experience. She loved learning about all the community has to offer and how the business owners work together. She added that this class helped her get out of her comfort zone.

“Leadership begins within,” she said. “This opportunity has helped me to grow.”

Grindel, who is new to the area, said it was a privilege to be a part of the program, and she knew right away that Washburn County is special. She said she was amazed at the industry here and all the valuable resources. The guest speakers helped them learn about themselves, and they also raised over $1,700 for the youth center.

“I am now a bigger part of this community” because of Leadership Washburn County, Grindel said.

Bush said she was grateful for the group’s time together, as she wasn’t sure what to expect. She said she learned you can only control what you know, and “your life is your message.”

Her takeaway was that “everyone needs to be appreciated.”

Clair said it was cool to meet with the new Spooner city administrator, especially because he is new to the area, as well.

“I just can’t believe the opportunities here,” Clair said. “The grass is greener where you water it. And I see that in Washburn County.”

Caudill said the class will be helpful to her job and it is important to build strong relationships with other community leaders.

“I know it’s cliche, but it really does take a village,” she said.

Her takeaway was to lift others up, as it also helps lift yourself up.

Spaulding said it was great to learn about all the county’s resources.

“I also became a lot more empathetic,” she said.

The day learning about aging was also helpful for her to be more empathetic, Spaulding said, and the government day, in which they got to participate in a shooting simulation, was “wild.”

Christman said she had thought she had a grasp on Washburn County before the class, but she was wrong. She said leadership is about about stepping out of your comfort zone and inspiring and listening to others.

Olson said she was profoundly changed by the program’s lessons.

“Leadership doesn’t always include grand gestures,” she said. “We can start by changing just one thing.”

Olson said the class helped her believe in her ability to make a difference no matter how simple. Her highlight was the sense of community in the group and how together they leveraged their strengths to make an impact. She added that she had just become a workforce mentor and she will be putting the lessons she learned from the class into practice.

Fowler said it was amazing going from strangers to coordinating a community project together. She said she now has the tools to be a leader after learning about the biggest community issues and resources.

Stariha and Macone were not present for the ceremony.

Spooner Health Public Relations and Marketing Director Michelle Martin was the keynote speaker. She asked the group to think back to when they were 6 years old and what they wanted to be when they grew up. Martin said her original dream was to become a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

“My dreams and ambitions in life changed,” she said. “They evolved.”

Martin said she loved being behind the scenes, and now with her position in the community, she has been on live television, served on state committees and introduced the governor.

“I love marketing, and I love my community,” she said. “I want to make a positive impact on my people, my family and my community.”