Two weeks ago, Oxford resident Alex Walker, 11, got to experience something not many sixth-graders do.
He traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Junior National Young Leadership Conference (JrNYLC) to learn about how past American leaders shaped who we are today.
Walker, a student at St. Joseph School in Lake Orion, was nominated by his teacher, Margaret Boggs, to attend the five-day conference.
The goal of the 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 newfound confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities.
‘I learned how to be a good leader, how to get others to respect you and how to respect others,? Walker said. ‘People can’t respect you unless you respect them.?
Each day of the conference, Walker said their faculty advisors would find fun ways to help them learn about being good leaders, like visiting the Franklin Institute Science Museum or the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
In addition to studying notable U.S. leaders and historic figures, Walker studied the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history, such as the Civil War, Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement.
‘They taught us about the first American leaders, like how they led, why they led,? Walker said. ‘They told us their mistakes so we could learn from them.?
Of course, the teen also visited the various Washington memorials and monuments, although he didn’t get to meet any elected officials. His favorite part was the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore.
Walker did such a good job at the conference that he was actually invited to partake in the Alumni JrNYLC in Boston next summer.
For any other Oxford students who might attend the conference in the near future, Walker’s advice is simple.
‘Enjoy it as much as you can, don’t be shy, make new friends,? he said. ‘You’re only gonna go on this trip once in your life, so make the best of it right now.?