TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - A high school program is proving to students they don’t have to leave home to leave their mark.

The Santa Cruz County Emerging Leaders Program connects students with county resources, helping them understand their hometown while developing leadership skills. The program entered its second year with around 50 students enrolled. If students make it to the end -- not all do, since it’s a rigorous program -- they receive a certificate from the University of Arizona.

“Throughout the program, I felt a bit more confident in myself. At the beginning, I felt nervous, stressed. But by the end, I felt really confident in what I could do,” said Benjamin Corella, a Nogales High School freshman who completed the program last year.

Building confidence and skills

Fellow parti

See Full Page