An after-school program is being hosted by the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values at Coastal Carolina University for middle-school students to learn about ethics and leadership.

The After-School Ethics and Leadership Academy offers an environment where talented sixth-grade students have the opportunity to develop character and leadership skills by interacting with professors and outstanding college students on the CCU campus.

This year's Leadership Academy runs through Feb. 23 in the HTC Center. The program hosts 84 students from 10 Horry County middle schools including Aynor, Loris, Forestbrook, St. James, Ocean Bay, Whittemore Park, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Green Sea Floyds and Black Water. Teachers and school principals selected students who have exhibited leadership potential.

Nils Rauhut, professor of philosophy and director of the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values, is organizing the academy. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Washington and has been a member of the CCU faculty since 1998.

"Our goal for the ethics and leadership academy is to give promising sixth graders in Horry County the opportunity to interact with outstanding students from other schools and to provide them with a solid training in ethics and leadership," says Rauhut. "We hope that they return to their schools with new ideas and with a fresh dose of enthusiasm."

The academy was started in 2004 as a summer program by Jackson Center Founding Director Claudia McCollough. Since then, it has developed into the after-school academy offered in the spring semester and attracts more and more students from Horry County middle schools.

For more information, contact Rauhut at 843-349-2547 or nrauhut@coastal.edu.