Staff Report
Identifying the next generation of leaders is always on the radar of local schools. Mulrennan Middle School recently identified sixth grader Bo Shamblin as one of those rare students. To help develop his leadership interest and skills, Shamblin recently attended the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C.
“I never thought of myself as a leader, but my counselors and teachers helped me see that I just keep putting myself out there. Going to D.C. will be a little scary but very exciting,” said Shamblin. “This summer I am starting a small lawn service company in my neighborhood. I also play golf. I recently won one of my tournaments and placed in the top five in several others. I am currently leading in points for the local summer tour.”
“Bo is very bright, smart, funny and yet humble. He is always helpful to his classmates and many times encourages them to do the best they can,” said Paola Olivares, his former teacher at Valrico Elementary School. “He leads by example and that’s the kind of leaders we are looking to identify. We want the next generation of leaders to make a difference, not just talk about making a difference.”
Bo is the son of Robert and Jennifer Shamblin. Robert is vice president of JL Marine Systems, Inc. manufacturer of Power-Pole shallow water anchors based in Brandon. Jennifer is a stay at home, dance and golf mom. They also have a daughter, Anna, who is currently in fourth grade also at Valrico Elementary School, and a dog named Blue and a lizard named Hershey.
“We’re very proud of Bo and his accomplishments,” said Robert. “He’s always been special to us, of course he’s our son, but it’s nice to see others recognize his talents and think of him as a leader,” added Jennifer.
Bo was accompanied to D.C. by his entire family. The conference included five days of training plus a day on the Hill touring the capital and learning how leadership plays an important role in government. The intent of the program is to help students bring home new ideas and continue to be leaders as they begin high school and then on into college.
For more information about Bo, contact Robert at Robert@power-pole.com or call 833-0597.
