Dowell fifth-grader meets Maryland's most influential

Program encourages leadership

Friday, Aug. 14, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo Submitted photo Nicholas Young of Dowell Elementary met House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) on a trip to Capitol Hill through Bonstingl Leaders for the Future. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

A 10-year-old once considered to not be a "star" at his school is now pretty sure he'll go into a career in politics, thanks to a trip to Capitol Hill where he met some of Maryland's most prominent figures.

"I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome.' I never thought this would happen to me. I was shocked," said Nicholas Young, a rising fifth-grader at Dowell Elementary School in Lusby, who went to Washington, D.C., last month through the program Bonstingl Leaders for the Future.

While in Washington, Nicholas met U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) and House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th).

"It was kind of difficult meeting these extremely important people and knowing they might ask me questions, and figuring out what I'd say," said Nicholas, who remembered telling Hoyer, "Thank you so much and it's a great honor meeting you."

He said that Hoyer made a particular impact on him as, "It was just really neat, him [representing] Calvert County and that's where I'm from.

" … It taught me that being a leader doesn't just mean going to meetings. It's about standing up for what you believe in and not just saying stuff, but doing what you say."

The program from which Nicholas was given this opportunity is, according to its founder, Jay Bonstingl, designed for kids who might not be born leaders.

"The purpose of the program is to give an opportunity for kids who aren't necessarily the stars of their school, an opportunity to become stars of their school," said Bonstingl, who continued that Nicholas was selected after participating in his company's Southern Maryland Youth Leadership Summit this past April at The College of Southern Maryland.

Bonstingl said that while Nicholas was one of several Dowell Elementary School students to attend the summit, he was one of four kids nationwide selected to go to Capitol Hill, a trip Bonstingl said was made possible due to financial support from State Farm Insurance.

"Nicholas is pretty advanced for his age. He's poised, he's articulate; he comes across as a natural leader. They were all very impressed," Bonstingl said of the state leaders Nicholas met in Washington.

Nicholas said he feels this experience gave him not only a glimpse of the life of a politician, but also an idea of what kind of leader he wants to be in school.

"I'm actually thinking about it. On the playground and in classrooms … I want to help people succeed their goals. When people try their best, they can succeed in what they want to," said Nicholas, who added that leading in the classroom could give him good preparation for leading within the country, as he "probably" plans on running for Congress when he's done with school.

"Being a good leader at a young age will help me … being a congressman or a governor, you have to lead people every day," he said.

His mother, Jennifer Young, who is the principal of Dowell Elementary School, laughed about telling Nicholas that he could recognize Hoyer as "the congressman from Maryland that looks kind of like grandpa."

" … I wasn't sure he'd understand the importance of what they do and how important they are to our country," Young said, continuing that she thought the grandeur of the U.S. Capitol exemplified to her son that "this wasn't your average reception."

She said that she was particularly impressed by the people Nicholas met throughout the day.

"Everyone was so welcoming and friendly with what the kids had to say, and that was very nice. It was a very cool experience."

lbuck@somdnews.com