Over the last couple of years some of Walpole High School’s brightest students have made their way down to Washington D.C. for a conference called The National Youth Leadership Conference. Every year the countries brightest and most charismatic students receive letters inviting them to this prestigious conference. This year, four juniors attended the yearly conference: Rebecca Goula, Katie Cavaca, Christine Drogan, and Jacqueline Reilly. Jackie, Christine, and Rebecca all attended the conference together during the week of April 12 – 17, while Katie went alone during the week of March 15 through March 20.
To get invited, students are either nominated by a teacher or recommended by a friend from a former NYLC conference. There are no specific grade requirements; however, most people at the conference tend to be in the top 20% of their class.
The conference is an academically enriching experience for the students who attend. They partake in real-life government stimulations where they are challenged to rehearse what it is like to pass a bill and deal with a crisis situation. Students are also given the opportunity to explore famous Washington D.C. sights such as the Smithsonian and Capitol Hill. Alongside these marvelous sight-seeing opportunities the students were invited to meet their state senators and have an open Q&A with them and other journalists. The academic opportunities at the conference appeared endless, but junior Rebecca Goula does not think that the academics will be remembered most. “Honestly the best part isn’t the monuments or the simulations,” she said. “It’s the people you meet when you are there. Everyone is so nice and open and its cool to get to meet people from all over.”
Jackie Reilly had a similar observation about the week long event: “I would not trade my week with NYLC for anything. When you get there, they do say if you are open to this, this week will change your life. It honestly did change my life.”
Jackie Reilly had a similar observation about the week long event: “I would not trade my week with NYLC for anything. When you get there, they do say if you are open to this, this week will change your life. It honestly did change my life.”
All the juniors this year got a chance to meet kids from all over the country. Christine Drogan said, “There is every kind of person at this conference, from every state except Hawaii. A few kids living in a naval base in Japan came and talked to us about the earthquake. I don’t think many other people have talked to someone who was actually there.” With the benefit of an impressing addition to any college resume and the enticing advantage of meeting new people NYLC seems to be an event that is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
