NHS Student Finds Rewards In Attending Youth Conference

By Susan Coney

Newtown High School junior Olga Virgalla recently represented the state of Connecticut as a National Scholar at the National Young Leaders Conference sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. The six-day conference ran from October 5 through October 10 in Washington, D.C.

The National Young Leaders Conference is designed to motivate and inspire top high school students from across the United States. Olga was nominated to attend by her teachers from the high school.

“I was so excited when I received the invitation to attend the conference. I had been wanting to go and knew it would be a great experience. I wanted to be a part of it. I have friends who have attended similar conferences and said it was a good experience,” Olga said.

For a long time, Olga has been very interested in traveling, learning foreign languages, and studying about international policies, which is not surprising considering she was born in St Petersburg, Russia, and was adopted by Becky and Bob Virgalla when she was 5 years old. The Virgallas also adopted Olga’s siblings: Viktor, who was 10 years old at the time, and Marina, who was 3. All three children had been placed in different orphanages. Viktor was in an orphanage for older, school-age children; because Marina had a medical condition at the time she was in a hospital facility; and Olga was in a home for younger children. Olga felt that her childhood background has been an inspiring factor in her continued interest in languages and the study of other countries.

Olga was intrigued when she met the faculty advisor assigned to her in Washington, D.C. “He was so interesting. He spoke Russian and had been in the Peace Corps, which is something I would like to do,” Olga said.

She went on to say that she enjoyed the entire week of activities and made what she believes will be lifelong friends from as far away as California. “I hung out with lots of people from the West Coast who had never been to Washington before. I had visited the capital before in the eighth grade and so I was like their guide. It was great to meet people with such leadership qualities. It is really neat knowing there are so many really good people out there,” Olga said, referring to both the young participants she met as well as the adults who ran the conference.

Olga said that she especially enjoyed one of the opening speakers that welcomed the students to the Washington area. She said that he did a wonderful job of explaining how the legislative process works in a clear and concise manner. During her visit Olga visited Connecticut Representative Nancy Johnson’s office, and although Ms Johnson was not there at the time, Olga said that her staff was extremely nice and took time out to show her around and provide some explanation of the political process.

During the conference Olga was impressed by a workshop entitled, “The Faces of the Homeless,” where the students listened to two previously homeless people share their stories of how they had become homeless. She was impressed by the fact that these two individuals both had college educations and dreams but became homeless due to extenuating circumstances. Olga was inspired by how they had turned their lives around. She also learned not to assume that just because a person is homeless that they are not a worthwhile, hardworking person.

At the end of the week the students broke into small groups and modeled the process Congress goes through to pass a bill. She said that it was a very informative lesson.

In addition to her interests in travel and the study of languages, Olga enjoys science, taking the advanced culinary course, and loves photography and art. She plays the flute and piano. Olga is the vice president of the student government and a member of the Guidance Honors Association, which helps out in school and community service projects. In ninth and tenth grade she played junior varsity soccer, as well as basketball her freshman year. This year she will participate in cross-country.

Olga confesses that she is undecided as to where she will attend college or what she will study. She is interested in the field of communications and enjoys talking with large groups of people. She shared that right now, however, she just has too many interests to try to narrow it down to one area of study.