Saturday, November 15, 2008

Brian Richard's Trip to the Washington D.C. Leadership Conference

(pictured in the front) When I first heard about the trip to Washington, D.C, I was excited and scared at the same time. I had never been to D.C and had always wanted to go. But, at the same time I didn’t want to leave my family and friends for a week. I was also afraid I wouldn’t “fit in” with the other scholars. I decided to go with Hunter and Maria and had a blast! I had an amazing time there, I made many new friends, and learned a lot about our nation’s capitol and history. Our schedule was action packed – we hardly ever had free time. I think that’s part of what made it fun though, we never had a moment to waste and it was always visit after visit after visit.
We saw the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Korean Memorial, Washington Monument, Newsuem (like a museum except with old newspapers, etc.), Harpers Ferry (one of the first battles of the Civil War), and many more things, all in seven days! We visited D.C. and three different states: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia. They were all wonderful experiences that I will never forget.
Another thing I noticed was the people from different states. Just in my Leadership Focus Group (of 12) we had people from 10 different states! It showed me that we are all the same, even if we are from different walks of life. Everyone was able to communicate and cooperate together no matter where they were from.
In summary, from the JrNYLC trip you learn A LOT. You learn not only about the Nation’s Capitol and history, but moral values too. They teach you about your rights as a minor, and solidify your leadership skills. I would recommend JrNYLC or any other NYLC programs to everyone! Don’t be scared about going, because I know you will have a wonderful experience and will meet lots of people from different walks of life!

Brian Richards
8th grade

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