With her long, black curly hair swept back by glasses, Pearl Hernandez laughed and joked with those around her as she got her face painted by one of her friends.
The result: One side of the sixth-grader's face was painted purple, the other cheek had a stencil of a planet.
The Pattengill Middle School student never used to be so outgoing. She was actually quite shy. But now, she said she's more confident and even a little less nervous about being in front of people.
"I lost some stage fright," Hernandez said.
Her growth, maturity and emergence from her shyness is a direct result of the Lansing location of the ART of Leadership Foundation, or ALF, which first began in Detroit seven years ago.
The Lansing location is comprised of 17 students from the middle school in Lansing. Students are nominated by teachers, starting in sixth grade, to become members of the program. A high school program for Lansing schools will start in the fall.
The goal of ALF is to help students gain leadership qualities at a young age because they are capable of catching on faster, said Mandy Mullins, program manager for ALF.
"If they start young, it becomes how they are," Mullins said.
ALF targets children who live in more impoverished areas but are not completely at risk, Mullins said.
"Putting the neighbor back in the hood" was the theme of this year's ALF programs. All events centered around the theme, which the children created. Participants wanted to stress togetherness and unity among neighbors in communities.
Wednesday night, a paint-by-number party was held at Potter Park Zoo to unveil a mural the students had a hand in designing. With the help of a Kalamazoo artist and Western Michigan University alumna Elisha Young, the theme "bringing families together" was symbolically displayed in the form of art.
A silhouette of a family pointing to the stars graced the canvas, which everyone attending the event could help paint.
"I love the mural," seventh-grader Nadja Templeton said. "It represents that we want the community unified, and to get along and love each other."
For Lansing course leader Jennifer Everhart the idea of instilling leadership characteristics among kids as young as sixth-grade is imperative.
The Pattengill students will use the skills learned from ALF throughout their entire life, she said.
"We discovered that we're really making a difference in their lives," Everhart said.
Andy Bui, a sixth-grader, was honored to have his English teacher nominate him to participate in the program.
"I'm really proud someone picked me," Bui said.
He said he used to be a lot more shy than he is now. Before participating in the program, he didn't like giving speeches and used to have stage fright. Now, after his first year in ALF, he and his relatives have noticed a change in him.
"They noticed I'm not shy anymore," Bui said. "I like to talk to people now."
With the help of ALF, students are becoming more confident with themselves, making speeches in front of public officials and are more involved in community events.
"It teaches you how to be a leader, and keeps your integrity and core values," said seventh-grader Aimee Barajas.
The ALF acts as a support system for children's parents, Mullins said.
"We're pretty proud of our kids," she said.
