MOBILE, Ala. — The Area Agency on Agency recently announced that all 19 students who attended the 2009 Leadership Institute for Older Adults — held June 16-20 at the University of South Alabama — graduated. 

“We are thrilled to recognize these graduates for their sincere dedication to community service,” Julie McGee, director of Area Agency on Aging, said.  “They want to be part of the solution and work hard to create more volunteer activities for their community to participate in.”

Sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging and University of South Alabama Gerontology Department, the institute offered free classes for adult students from Mobile, Baldwin and Escambia counties. Class topics included advocacy through effective communications, caring for caregiver and future trends in aging.

Graduates will complete a short internship at the Area Agency on Aging and commit to a year-long volunteer project of their choice. They will also serve as aging advocates and leaders in their communities to promote aging successfully.

Guest speakers for the class included Anna Pritchett and Fay Watson from the AARP Divided We Fail Campaign, and Jean Ingram, chair of the Local Region Alabama Silver Hair Legislature and National Silver Hair Legislature.