Twenty people graduated from the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy Wednesday morning during a ceremony at the Crystal Ballroom at the Lerner Theatre.

Each year local businesses nominate employees to go through the Leadership Academy.

Participants identified and created service projects in the community.

Some of the projects included:

1) Raising funds and helping in the renovation of an emergency homeless shelter for teens at Bashor Children's Home;
2) Raising funds and renovating cabins for the Five Star Life youth camp in Union; and
3) Developing marketing materials for Ryan's Place, including a website and 1,500 information packets that were mailed to local businesses to raise funds towards hiring a grief counselor that speaks Spanish.