NHS Student Participating

In Leadership Conference

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown High School sophomore Jenna Zigman was one of 1,500 outstanding high school students selected worldwide to participate in the National Student Leadership Conference on Business & Commerce, July 3–13. Jenna was given the opportunity to study, experience, and develop the skills and traits that define and identify a leader. Young leaders return to their schools with increased potential and newly developed abilities that enable them to make a positive difference in their communities.

Special guest speakers that in past years have included former US Secretary of State Madeline Albright, former Attorney General Janet Reno, Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy, Sandra Day O’ Conner, and David Souter, as well as world-renowned surgeons, medical researchers, ambassadors, and government officials. Through participation in this extraordinary experience, students learn how to engage in critical analysis, communicate effectively, and think on their feet.

“Students develop a sense of independence and responsibility,” said Dr Paul M. Lisnek, the Conference’s director of academics and former assistant dean of Loyola University Chicago School of Law. “They leave with a true feeling of accomplishment and confidence in their ability to handle the challenges that lie ahead.”