WASHINGTON, D.C. – This fall, Victoria White of Lewiston will be among 200 outstanding middle school students from across the United States who will take part in a leadership conference. Themed “The Legacy of American Leadership,” the Junior National Young Leaders Conference will introduce young people to the tradition of leadership throughout American history, while helping them develop their own leadership skills.

White, a sixth-grade student at Holy Cross School in Lewiston, was selected to represent the state at the September conference. She was recognized as “an outstanding individual who has achieved academic excellence and possess strong leadership potential with maturity and responsibility.”

White has consistently achieved honors/high honors. She has been involved in Student Council and has won numerous academic awards, the most recent an academic excellence award for social studies. Her favorite subjects are social studies and math and she loves to read.

White said she views the conference as an important opportunity to gain the skills necessary to become a great leader, which will help shape her future.

“The aim of the Junior National Young Leaders 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 new-found confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities,” said Mike Lasday, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, the organization that sponsors JrNYLC.

During the six-day program, participants will take part in educational activities and presentations, as well as meet with elected officials and congressional staff members on Capitol Hill. Participants also visit historical sites. Students will also study the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history.

The council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization. For additional information, visit www.cylc.org.