For young people, leadership can mean learning how to say no regardless of the consequences.

That’s the lesson Reginald Winston hopes the graduates of the Youth Leaders in Action Academy have learned over the past 10 weeks. Winston was the site coordinator for the program that was sponsored by the Wake County 4-H program with funding from a grant by the John Rex Endowment.

Judging by the comments students made during presentations to family and friends Wednesday night, they learned the lesson.

Kristi Perry, 13, was one of the 12 students who participated in the program.

“I wouldn’t be scared now, to talk to people about things that worry them. I’m strong enough to tell them I won’t do something if I think it’s wrong,” Perry said. But she also says she’s learned to listen to other people and consider the challenges they are facing as they go through their adolescent years.

“I think I’m more willing to listen to people and help them with their problems, or if I can’t help them, I think I would be able to get them in touch with someone who could help them,” Perry said.

The summer program is actually one of two similar efforts sponsored this summer. Other programs in Wake County also include a year-round component. The local program, though, is strictly a summer opportunity for now.

The program in eastern Wake County included 12 students ranging in age from 13-18. Sessions were held on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Riley Hill Family Life Center. On Wednesdays, the students met up with their counterparts in a program hosted in north Raleigh to work on team-building skills.

The students took part in ropes courses, they met with health educators, learned about conflict resolution and responsibility.

“It helps them learn that when you discipline yourself, it makes you become a stronger person and making them have the discipline to want to learn opens them up to so many other areas,” Winston said.

On Wednesday night, students presented some of their work. The group learned about the effects and treatments of a host of sexually transmitted diseases and they learned about the dangers of drug use.

Their presentations ranged from powerpoint and posterboard presentations to a short skit about drug use. Shakia Cherry was among the parents who listened to the presentations Wednesday night. She said her daughter, Kristi Perry, has matured during her time in the program.

“After talking with her each night when she’d come home, she seemed to gain a lot out of it. I liked the way that it was set up that it didn’t have a lot of old people telling them what to do. The adults were closer to them in age and that seemed to carry some weight with the children,” Cherry said.

She said her daughter benefits from a program like the leadership academy, but she adds that it still serves as an extension of what parents must do.

“The program relates back to how Mom and Dad raised her. She’s hearing the same thing from other people that she’s been hearing at home. It’s a confirmation of what we say,” Cherry said.