FLORENCE, Ala. — Florence High School and the Florence Rotary Club are teaming up again for another year of STRIVE. STRIVE is a mentorship program developed from the partnership that allows Rotary members to mentor FHS students.

Rotary members come from all walks of life, so they can offer a variety of perspectives to students who are still trying to discover their passions and purpose. FCS Superintendent Dr. Jimmy Shaw spoke on the program's history and its impact on students.

"STRIVE is an opportunity for us to take a student that has the aspirations, dreams, and goals to do something great, but may not have the connection to the outside world to be able to get over that hump in life," Dr.Shaw said.

Monday's meeting also saw FHS students taking the initiative and setting examples for their peers as leaders. Student ambassadors served as escorts for the Rotary members while FHS Culinary students prepared the meal.

Student ambassadors La'Shaun Sheppard and Blake Hanback expressed their love of service.

"I actually want to be somebody that's out there in the community doing good things," Sheppard said.

"We wanted to be student ambassadors because we wanted to be somebody that the students … could look up to, and if a student needs help with anything, we are there," Hanback said.

Florence High School Principal Kevin Wieseman recently announced that he will be taking a new role as the Brewton City Schools superintendent. Mr. Wieseman spoke at the rotary meeting on how much this program has impacted students and how he would like to introduce a similar program in his new district. He explained that investing in the younger generation makes a community stronger.

"Young people do not have to move off in order to find a quality of life," Wieseman said.

The first FHS STRIVE meeting happened Thursday morning, during which students interviewed potential mentors about why they should be selected.