Ready to Lead: Meet the 2026–2027 Junior Ambassadors

A new year means a new group of young leaders ready to step outside their comfort zones, discover their strengths, and begin making their mark on South Baldwin County.

The South Baldwin Chamber Foundation is excited to welcome the 2026–2027 Junior Ambassador class! These 23 high school juniors from Elberta & Foley High School were selected through an application and interview process and are now preparing for a year filled with leadership development, community connections, hands-on learning, and plenty of new experiences.

Starting the Year by Climbing, Connecting & Leading

The Junior Ambassador year officially kicked off with an opening retreat hosted by The Factory in Gulf Shores—and just like last year’s class, our newest ambassadors jumped right in.

From climbing walls and high-flying challenges to team-building activities, the retreat gave students a chance to get comfortable with one another while learning to communicate, collaborate, problem-solve, and trust their teammates.

The students also participated in a leadership styles workshop, giving them an opportunity to identify their own strengths and better understand how different leadership styles can work together. It was a fun way to begin the year, but more importantly, it set the tone for what lies ahead: a year of discovering who they are as leaders and how they can use those strengths to make a difference. The retreat is only the beginning.

Check out photos from this year's retreat by clicking HERE.

A Year of Experiences Ahead

Over the coming year, Junior Ambassadors will have opportunities to go behind the scenes of the community they call home and learn from the people who help shape it.

Through leadership workshops, community service, career exploration, government and civic engagement, economic development, environmental stewardship, and hands-on experiences, students will be challenged to look at South Baldwin County from new perspectives.

They’ll meet community and business leaders, explore different career paths, learn about the organizations and industries that keep our community moving, and discover opportunities to get more involved.

And while the schedule will be filled with places to go and things to learn, some of the most important moments may happen between activities—when students work together, ask questions, share ideas, and build relationships with one another.

By the end of the year, we hope each student walks away with a better understanding of their leadership potential, a stronger connection to their community, and the confidence to take what they’ve learned into their schools, future careers, and lives.

Meet the 2026–2027 Junior Ambassadors

We are proud to introduce this year’s class:

Ainsley Ulrich

Amiyah Collins

Astrid Thurber

Bailee Egbert

Braxton Welsh

Bryant Sims

Cadi Cardwell

Ella Kate Bailey

Emma Godbold

Frank Styron

Garrett Goodwin

Isabel Jimenez Reyes

John McClellan

Kennedy Collins

Lainey Thomas

Lily Huffstetler

Madison Adams

Miley Bowen

Olivia Dunlavy

Paisley Burch

Reed Allen

Sarah Pugh

Savanna Lee

We can’t wait to watch this group climb, connect, learn, lead, and grow throughout the 2026–2027 Junior Ambassador year.

The journey has officially begun—and there’s a lot ahead.

Welcome, Junior Ambassadors!