On Saturday, July 18, the top eight L.E.A.D Scholars struck off to Washington, D.C. to participate in GEAR UP’s National Youth Leadership Summit.
The scholars who participated included:
- Dreydon Conley, Graham County
- Julianna Underwood, Burke County
- Amie Humphries, Burke County
- Parker Biggerstaff, Burke County
- Jalaya Hamilton, Burke County
- Jaia Thor, Burke County
- Kassiti Hoke, Alleghany County
- Laurel Davis, Alleghany County
This 3-day summit challenges scholars to develop their leadership and storytelling skills through a series of workshops and activities held at the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) Annual Conference.
“Going to the NCCEP Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. was an unforgettable experience,” said Jalaya. “I was honored to represent my county and L.E.A.D while meeting other student leaders from across the country. The experience helped me grow as a leader, build new connections, and gain confidence in my ability to make a positive impact. I’m so grateful for the opportunity and everything I learned throughout the trip.”
Scholars also had the chance to explore our nation’s capital through several sightseeing tours of the city. Scholars visited the National Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the United States Capitol building. Scholars also participated in a guided LED tour of some of our nation’s most iconic monuments, such as the White House and the Martin Luther King Jr, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson memorials.
While visiting the U.S. Capitol building scholars received a very special unplanned surprise.
While watching live voting sessions in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis entered the chamber to cast his vote.
Students waved to Tillis, catching his attention. A few minutes later, to their surprise, Senator Tillis came over to greet the group and asked who they were. The L.E.A.D scholars proudly introduced themselves and shared that they were part of the GEAR UP L.E.A.D program.
At that moment, L.E.A.D scholar Kassiti asked if Tillis would be willing to take a group photo, which he graciously agreed to do. After the picture, students thanked Senator Tillis for taking the time to meet with the group, and one student had the opportunity to share a project she has been passionately advocating for.
Julianna lives with a severe peanut allergy and, through her own travel experiences, discovered an important safety concern. While commercial airplanes carry vials of epinephrine, they do not typically carry epinephrine auto-injectors, commonly known as EpiPens.
Motivated by her personal experiences, Julianna has been advocating for a policy change that would require commercial airlines to carry epinephrine auto-injectors for emergency use. Senator Tillis was genuinely impressed by both her initiative and her thoughtful advocacy. He encouraged her to follow up with his office so he could learn more about her proposal and explore ways to help advance this important effort.
It was an unforgettable moment that demonstrated the power of youth leadership, civic engagement, and the impact one student’s voice can have in helping create meaningful change.
This momentum was carried through the entire conference, as students learned more about civic engagement, community leadership and involvement, and the importance of how their personal stories and experiences can inform their advocacy.
On this experience for her students, Alleghany county GEAR UP coordinator Angela Parlier said, “Participating in the Appalachian State L.E.A.D Program and attending the NCCEP Conference in Washington, D.C. challenged our students to think beyond themselves, embrace leadership, and realize that their voices can create meaningful change in their schools, communities, and beyond. This was an incredible opportunity for our L.E.A.D scholars to gain the confidence, skills, and perspective needed to become tomorrow’s leaders while preparing for success in college, careers, and life.”
