Mary-Jane has been nominated to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference, an Envision by WorldStrides program in Washington, D.C. this summer. She was nominated by her history teacher due to her academic achievement and leadership potential. Her teacher, Mr. Ceppi, was only able to nominate 5 of his students, and she was 1 of 2 nominated in her class. He recognized her as a student with the scholastic merit, maturity, and strength of character to represent her school, Peet Jr. High, at this unique leadership program.

She hopes that this trip will help prepare her for the future. She hopes to learn to become a better leader; set clear goals, improve communication skills, build effective teams, and embrace models to solve complex problems. She will get a chance to practice teamwork and public speaking skills. Mary-Jane hopes to come home with a stronger sense of what leadership means and the impact it carries.

She will be residing at the University of Maryland with a group of like-minded peers. They will be touring historic locations such as the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and George Washington’s Mount Vernon. They will also have the opportunity to participate in a group project called Voices of Change.

She is most excited to explore new places, make new friends, and learn from their experiences. She is asking for donations to help fund this experience.