Killeen ISD is celebrating Harker Heights High School sophomore BreAnn Craig, whose involvement with the Lone Star Leadership Academy has grown from participant to statewide service and mentoring younger student leaders.
Craig was selected as one of 128 student leaders from across Texas to serve on the 2025–2026 Lone Star Leadership Academy Alumni Council, a program of Education in Action that gives former academy participants an opportunity to put their leadership skills into action through service in their schools and communities.
As a first-year Alumni Council member, Craig completed a service project titled “You Control the Traffic.” Working with her peers, she developed suggestions to improve the student experience when entering Harker Heights High School. The group presented its ideas to campus administrators and staff for consideration.
“My service project helped me better understand the diverse opinions and perspectives of others,” Craig said.
Her involvement with Education in Action began last summer when she attended the Lone Star Leadership Academy as a first-time participant. This summer, she returned in a new role, serving as a Youth Facilitator during a leadership conference in the Dallas area and helping mentor younger students from across Texas.
Craig said the experience gave her an opportunity to model leadership from her own perspective.
“For me, a leader is not necessarily authoritative. I will try to help you, but I won’t boss you around and try to make you do something,” she said.
Through leadership lessons, guest speakers and visits to museums and other sites, participants developed cooperation and teamwork skills and had opportunities to put those skills into practice. For Craig, working with younger students also helped strengthen her confidence.
“I really liked it because it helped me get out of my shell a little bit,” she said. “They were younger kids, so it was good for me to be able to talk to them.”
Craig’s involvement with the program has been supported by educators along the way. Her National Junior Honor Society sponsor at Nolan Middle School sponsored her participation in the Lone Star Leadership Academy and her return as a Youth Facilitator, while Harker Heights High School teacher Julie Smith sponsored her Alumni Council participation.
Now in her second year at Harker Heights High School, Craig is active in Junior ROTC and plans to become involved in additional student leadership organizations. She also takes Advanced Placement courses to continue challenging herself academically.
Craig’s experiences are part of a leadership pathway offered through Education in Action. Students initially earn the opportunity to participate in a Lone Star Leadership Academy through an educator nomination for the Lone Star Leader Award, which recognizes leadership potential, academic achievement and school and community involvement. Students can continue developing those skills through opportunities including the Alumni Council and serving as Youth Facilitators who mentor younger participants.
Across Texas, Alumni Council members completed service projects, awareness campaigns, donation drives and other community initiatives designed to create a positive impact while strengthening their leadership skills.
In 2026, 710 outstanding Texas students participated in the Lone Star Leadership Academies, weeklong overnight programs that help students build confidence, strengthen leadership skills and explore Texas history, government, culture and careers.
Since its inception, more than 20,000 Texas students have participated in the Lone Star Leadership Academy.