Area high schoolers visit Capital

The Educational Talent Search located at Arkansas Northeastern College sent two students, Samuel Rinehart from South Pemiscot High School and James Laythan Fox from Rivercrest High School, to the 26th Annual Student Leadership Congress in Washington D.C. from June 6th through June 11th. Both students are TRiO Educational Talent Search 11th grade students.

The Educational Talent Search is a grant funded program at Arkansas Northeastern College sponsored by the United States Department of Education with the primary mission of encouraging students to complete a rigorous high school curriculum, enroll in a postsecondary institution, and earn a postsecondary degree.

Sam Rinehart said, "The time spent with peers with the same like mindedness and enthusiasm as myself was amazing. I now have a better understanding of what it really takes to be a leader and write legislation. Overall this experience is once in a lifetime, and I am truly proud to be able to say that I was the one chosen to attend."

Laythan Fox added, "During the National Student Leadership Conference, I learned that we come together to represent the country because we are the people that matter. We are the future and make up the TRiO Alumni system and we are the students that encourage the government to continue to aid the TRiO program."

The National Student Leadership Congress was hosted at Georgetown University. In an effort to highlight the broad range of opportunities that are available to TRiO students, this year's emphasis focussed on connecting Student Leadership delegates to TRiO alumni who are doing great things in the nation's capitol as participants in Congress. Rinehart and Fox were introduced to a panel, featuring alumni who are currently working in Congressional offices. Those alumni shared how their experiences in TRiO programs prepared them for their professional experiences on Capitol Hill.

Some of the inspiring individuals that Rinehart and Fox interacted with during the week included: Political Engagement Expert Mike Muse, Missouri's U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. They also visited historical sites such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Holocaust Museum.

The students also participated in a "Mock Congress". Each group of 12-14 students, from a variety of states, was given a bill to research and ultimately convince the other 156 students to vote for. Fox's was a member of the winning group and received a medal at the closing ceremony.