From STAFF REPORTS

SHELBY COUNTY – Dr. Tim Elmore, a leading authority on how to understand the next generation and prepare tomorrow’s leaders today, will be the guest speaker of a parenting event being jointly sponsored by the Columbiana, Wilsonville and Shelby school communities. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 26 at First Baptist Church in Columbiana.

Childcare and activities will be provided for all age groups, birth through 12th grade. Children ages birth through fifth grade will be served at First Baptist Church, while sixth-12th grade students will be hosted at Columbiana United Methodist. The event is open and free to the public.

Dr. Elmore is a best-selling author, international speaker, and president of Growing Leaders, a nonprofit that helps develop emerging leaders under the philosophy that each child is born with leadership qualities.

Dr. Elmore will be teaching on the following:

• Every student can be a leader, because the true definition of leadership is the ability to influence.
• The point of leadership is to equip our young people to do things without help.
• Leadership can be spotted and cultivated in students as early as elementary school.
• Good parenting and teaching is a balancing act between being responsive and demanding.
• Over-parenting can do more damage than under parenting.
• Talent and giftedness do not equal success for today’s students.
• You can motivate the younger generation by equipping them more than entertaining them.