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CommunitySouthern Middle School’s Maassel, Brooks attend Junior National Young Leaders Conference
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
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Anna Maassel and Sidney Brooks from Southern Middle School were among more than 200 outstanding middle school students from across the United States who took part in an extraordinary leadership conference in Washington, D.C. Themed ‘‘The Legacy of American Leadership,” the Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) introduces young people to the rich tradition of leadership throughout American history, while helping them develop their own leadership skills.
‘‘The aim of the Junior National Young Leaders Conference is to inspire students to recognize their own leadership skills, measure their skills against those of current and former leaders and return home with new found confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities,” said Mike Lasday, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the organization that sponsors JrNYLC. ‘‘Young people are not only welcome in Washington, D.C., they actually keep this city and our country running.”
During the six-day program, participants took part in educational activities and presentations, as well as met with elected officials and key Congressional staff members on Capitol Hill. Participants also visited historical sites, such as Colonial Williamsburg, Harpers Ferry, National Museum of American History and Washington, D.C.’s monuments and memorials.
In addition to examining notable U.S. leaders and historic figures, students studied the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history including the Civil War and Reconstruction, World War II, the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement. Upon completion of JrNYLC, students gained greater sense of understanding of the role of individuals in American democracy, as well as the responsibilities of being a leader.
