Lea Rogers'26
The National Honor Society embarked on its first-ever field trip to Washington, DC, attending the annual LEAD conference for young student leaders. We had the opportunity to listen to inspiring speakers who shared their hardships, failures, and successes, along with valuable tips on resilience. We connected with students from around the world, including Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, all U.S. states, and even Hawaii! With about 2,000 students present and 50 speakers offering diverse leadership and success workshops, the experience was truly enriching.
Our adventure began with sightseeing. On the first day, we visited the Bill of Rights and the Museum of Natural History, navigated the metro, and concluded with a talk by Brandon P. Fleming. He shared his journey from gangs and poverty to becoming a top debate team leader at Harvard. Fleming emphasized, “Being a leader is about seeing every person for exactly who and where they are and to meet them there,” highlighting love and empathy as leadership keys.
On the third day, we heard from a speaker who bravely discussed her battles with anxiety and self-doubt, sharing how she created a toolbox to manage her struggles. Laurie Hernandez, who went to the Olympics at only 16 years old shared her story. She overcame her anxiety to win team Gold, and individual silver for Gymnastics at the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janiero, Brazil.
Later, we grouped up, met new peers, and exchanged success stories. Our fourth day included tours of iconic monuments such as the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and a stunning view of the Capitol Building.
As we wrapped up our trip, we created posters to reflect on what we learned and how to apply it back at school. We explored other schools' ideas and decided to start a fundraising initiative inspired by the "Four Diamonds" program to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
This trip not only taught us to be better, kinder leaders but also empowered us to bring positive change to our school.