NEW SHARON — Tommy Eng feels like a leader.

The 11-year-old was nominated by Principal Cheryl Pike at Cape Cod Hill School to participate in a People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C., in March.

“I wanted to participate in a World Leadership Forum to meet other kids my age from around the world,” Eng said. “I’ve been getting ready by studying world history and doing the quizzes.”

Going to the leadership program for a weekend will help him in several ways, he said.

“It is definitely going to improve my leadership skills,” he said. “It will help me stay more in control, stay on task and get everything done.”

While there he wants to go to the Museum of Natural History, and the Air and Space Museum.

The sixth-grader learned in October that he would be going to learn about leadership and how “iconic leaders throughout history have handled world events.”

It was the first time Pike chose to nominate a student for the forum. She nominated Eng when he was in fifth grade, based on his academic merit and leadership qualities.

“He’s a hard worker,” Pike said. “He is a kid who gets along well with others. He is mild-mannered.”

He demonstrates leadership qualities every day at school, she said. “Kids clearly look up to him. He’s a good kid.”

Eng, of New Sharon, said he was surprised when he learned about his nomination.

“I really do feel like a leader because it is my third year doing Destination ImagiNation,” he said. “It’s me and two other friends doing it and the three of us have become leaders of the group.”

Destination ImagiNation Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides educational programs for students to learn and experience creativity as a team.

He keeps his head and can handle a chaotic situation in a calm manner, he said.

For example, last year, it was raining for several days in a row and was recess was held inside, he said. Glitter was getting strewn everywhere and he decided to put a stop to it. Once he told the kids to stop, it stopped.

Eng set a goal this year to be a straight A student and he has accomplished that.

“I try and study right after dinner because that way my brain is moving,” Eng said.  “I study hard to get good grades. I just want to get into a really good college because I have most of my life planned out.”

Those plans include college.

“I’m going to go four years and then work to get my doctorate and find a really good job,” he said. “I want to be a software designer.”

His interest stems from seeing a lot of cool programs on computers and technology, he said.

“I want to learn how to do that,” he said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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