NHS Student Attends National Young Leaders Conference

By Larissa Lytwyn

Sarah Hemingway, a junior at Newtown High School, was among the participants of this year’s National Young Leaders Conference recently held in Washington, D.C. Students from each state were represented. Selection was based on scholastic merit and community activeness.

“One of the biggest and greatest opportunities I had,” said Sarah, “was meeting students from across the country. Of course I expected the northeast, and Texas, and other large states, but I met students from Hawaii, North Dakota, Oregon and Nebraska.” Sarah participates in Newtown Youth Services, Peer Leadership, Girl Scouts, NO SUDS, The Hawkeye, Newtown High School’s student-run newspaper, and various political campaigns. The conference experience, she said, incorporated elements from all of the activities.

“By listening to speakers from the military, the White House, the press, congress, role-playing the Supreme Court, the president, the legislature and the United Nations,” she continued, “I learned not only what a leader is, but how to be a better one.”

Sarah enjoyed interacting with renowned journalists Michael Allen of the Washington Post, Helen Thomas of Hearst, Kathy Kiely from USA Today and Ken Rudin from Nation Public Radio. Students had the opportunity to engage the reporters in questions regarding national and international current events, journalistic ethics, and news prioritization, as well as advice and perspectives on how to begin a career in journalism.

“By participating in the National Young Leader’s Conference, students like Sarah Hemingway will become better equipped to address the challenges facing communities around the world,” said Michael Lasday, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the organization that sponsors the conference. The Congressional Youth Leadership Council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan leadership education organization founded in 1985. For additional information, visit www.cylc.org.