Contributed to the Telegram

Lindsay Brown of Rocky Mount has been selected to attend the 2008 National Junior Leaders Conference, sponsored by LeadAmerica at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Brown, an Early College High School student, will attend the Medicine and Health Care Program.

The conference is a leadership program for promising young leaders from across the United States and internationally. Middle and junior high school students with a record of academic achievement or extracurricular or community involvement are invited to participate.

Students select an academic area to study, choosing from among government and politics, global business and entrepreneurship, intelligence, diplomacy and national security, crime scene investigation, law and trial advocacy and medicine and health care. Or, they may attend Leadership University, an in-depth, intensive leadership development conference for young leaders who want to challenge themselves to excel and realize their full potential.

Through briefings and discussions with national and international leaders in the fields of study and realistic, hands-on simulations, students experience leadership in action and learn first-hand about the complexities of decision-making in a chosen field or profession. By engaging in interactive workshops and activities, students learn and develop vital leadership skills, including effective communication, conflict resolution, team building and time management.

"Leadership is essential to a student's future success," says Chris M. Salamone, Esq., founder and executive director of Lead-

America. "It is the key to what they do with their lives and how well they do it. In today's world, it is imperative that we nurture leadership potential from a very young age. Leadership can make important differences in the lives of teenagers – in their academic and personal performance, in their acceptance to the college of their choice, and in their level of focus, passion and purpose.

"Since 1989 I have had the privilege of seeing nearly 40,000 exceptional students from over 51 countries learn first-hand about leadership and explore its role in a variety of educational disciplines. It's my sincere hope that LeadAmerica will give our young leaders the skills to help them along the road toward a successful and rewarding life of leadership."

LeadAmerica is the nation's premier youth leadership organization. Its mission is to transform the world's next generation of leaders by educating, inspiring and instilling in them ethical and principled leadership values, attitudes and skills.

With a rich history dating back over 17 years, Lead-

America is committed to educating and empowering young leaders. Each of its high school conferences are college-accredited and its programs are approved activities of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Lead-America sponsors the Congressional Student Leadership Conference for high school students, the National Junior Leaders conference for middle and junior high school students, the World Youth Leadership Conference with study abroad programs in China and Russia, and the Washington Summer Scholars program, a college-level academic program held in cooperation with American University.

Brown is the daughter of Moses and Linda Brown of Rocky Mount.