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BASTROP — One senior at Bastrop Independent School District’s Colorado River Collegiate Academy is making waves with her exceptional leadership and commitment to creating safer schools.
Not only is Hailey Leichtnam on track to earn her Associate Degree in Social Work from Austin Community College this spring, but she is also a dedicated leader on campus. A former student council class president, Leichtnam currently serves as vice president of the National Honor Society chapter at CRCA and is the president of Bastrop’s Family Crisis Center Youth Advisory Board.
Most recently, Leichtnam was selected as one of nine students in Texas to serve as a Teen Ambassador
for the Texas School Safety Center.
“Hundreds of districts across the state submitted thousands of applications,” said Ted Coleman, BISD safety and security coordinator. “Although I submitted all 30 applicants, I had to make a recommendation and choose one student from our district. Hailey had all of the attributes needed to excel in this position.”
The Texas School Safety Teen Ambassador program aims to engage middle and high school students in addressing school safety, substance abuse prevention and promoting positive social behaviors, according to the center. Ambassadors work on prevention projects and collaborate with TxSSC staff to develop resources related to substance use, mental health and violence prevention.
Leichtnam, who wants to pursue further education at Texas State University, stated her motivation for applying was deeply personal.
“The background where I come from deals with a lot of mental health and drug abuse,” Leichtnam said. “I have no relationship with my mom, and I have lost an aunt from drug abuse. I have seen firsthand the difficulties of how peer pressure can push people to do drugs and them not be able to pull themselves out of it. I want to help people get through that.”
As part of the program, each ambassador will complete an individual project. While Leichtnam is still deciding on her project, she is considering a focus on physical education.
“Mental health is already really focused on at CRCA,” Leichtnam added. “We have the Mental Health Advocacy Club that a student started here. But after our freshman year, there really isn’t much addressed in physical education unless students work out on their own. I’m thinking about something in that area.”
Both Bastrop ISD and CRCA are proud to have Leichtnam represent them in this impactful role, representatives said.
“Intelligent and hardworking, Hailey is a beacon of caring at the Colorado River Collegiate Academy,” CRCA Principal Martin Conrardy said. “We are proud of this exceptional young woman and her appointment to the School Safety Teen Ambassador Program.”
