As voters head to the polls and ponder what attributes make an effective leader, two LHHS students are learning their own lessons in leadership, character and civic involvement through a program called Texas Leadership Forum. Kevin Ndukwe and Yareli Rubio were recommended by their teachers for the program, which recruits dynamic, responsible students – one boy and one girl from participating high schools – and educates them about business, government and public policy.
In a letter nominating him to participate, Kevin’s teacher praised “his excellent work ethic, his compassion for his fellow classmates, his maturity and his overall sense of integrity.” Yareli was described as “an academic leader who is respected by both her peers and her teachers.”
In addition to attending local leadership forums and company site visits, the 16 North Texas students have participated in community outreach programs to learn how servant leaders give back and help others. Required projects and writing assignments foster reflection on lessons learned.
In February, the TLF group traveled to Baylor Medical Center to learn about the diverse opportunities for employment in the health care industry and hear which jobs will be in highest demand when they graduate from high school and college. The highlight of their TLF experience will come in June, when they fly to Washington, DC for an all-expenses-paid, one-week conference focusing on national government operations and public policy debate. They’ll have an insider’s view thanks to U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions, honorary chairman of TLF, and they’ll tour historic sites and national monuments.
Shown in the photo are (front row) Maria Duran, Cristine Reyes, Glenn Vargas, Jasmine Escalera, Jasmin Cantu, Hollie Edwards, Yareli Rubio from LHHS, Selina Rodriguez, Gabriel Enriquez, (back row) Pete Sessions, Ivan Salazar, Dominik Reyes, Kevin Ndukwe from LHHS, Ben Ramalho, Chizitere Anaghara.
Donations to the Today Foundation make the program possible, and corporate donors include AT&T, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Mary Kay, Southwest Airlines, SuperShuttle, Ashford Hospitatlity and Capital Hilton. If you’d like to contribute or if you have a student to nominate, you can email LH’s own Debbie Horres, TLF Program Director, here.
