Birchland students head to Washington, D.C. for young leaders conference

Date: 3/2/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW -- The Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) brings together mature, high-achieving middle school students and gives them the opportunity to learn about leadership though examples from the past and focus on social advocacy to make a difference in their communities.

Four students from Birchland Park Middle School (BPMS) will be attending the conference this spring in Washington, D.C.

The students attending the JrNYLC -- sixth graders Katie Bonavita, Jack Dalton, Nik Demarest and A.J. Grondalski -- were all nominated by teachers from their elementary schools who saw the skills of leadership in each of them. Bonavita was nominated by Donna Whitman of Mountain View School; Dalton, Demarest and Grondalski were nominated by Deborah Barry of Mapleshade School.

[The conference] sounds like a good learning experience for us, Bonavita said. She added that it will be interesting to see everything in Washington, D.C.

Demarest agreed, stating, It sounds like a fun time and a good way to learn things outside of school.

Grondalski said he s excited to visit the nation s capital and make new friends at the conference, and Dalton noted that he wants to build on leadership skills he already has.

It will be interesting to see other [students] like us, Dalton said.

According to information from JrNYLC, each conference is designed to educate, inspire and motivate students by giving them the confidence and leadership skills that will take them through high school and beyond.

We felt this would be a good experience for them to learn more about government, Barry, the coordinator of the school s gifted and talented program, said.

She noted that the three students she nominated had already exhibited leadership skills at Mapleshade by organizing a playground survey during the last school year.

Barry added that it is an honor just to be nominated to attend JrNYLC, as the four aforementioned students were, as well as students Julia Decker, Michael Hampton, Chris Koetsch, Chad Nowlan and Wesley Olin.

This conference will open up the world for you in a different way, Barry told the students. You get to share what you learn with everyone else... Our new president stresses service to your country, and this is a great way to do it.

Reminder Publications will be following up with the students on what they learned at JrNYLC when they return at the end of March.