Published: 07-22-08
Welcome Home Texas Leadership Forum Students
Dallas TX – U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) Saturday joined Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) Today Foundation President Gary Griffith and Southwest Airlines representatives in welcoming home Texas students from the Today Foundation’s Texas Leadership Forum conference in Washington DC.
Hosted by Congressman Pete Sessions and Congressman Louie Gohmert the Texas Leadership Forum (TLF) conference provides qualified students from select Dallas and Tyler area high schools with a unique inside view of national government operations and public policy debates in Washington DC. Participants included 12 students from six Dallas-area high schools as well as four students from two Tyler-area high schools.
A “Welcome Home” reception for the returning TLF students was hosted by Southwest Airlines a primary sponsor of the Texas Leadership Forum. The reception which was held at Love Field Airport on Saturday July 19 at 6:45 PM included remarks by Congressman Pete Sessions Congressman Louie Gohmert and TLF students.
“The Texas Leadership Forum is about engaging young minds to consider challenge and thoughtfully articulate the public policy debates facing our government as they develop their leadership skills for service in the future” stated Sessions who is the honorary chair of TLF. “These students have proven their commitment to learning and contributing to their communities and the opportunity to see Washington firsthand will aide them in future goals of civic responsibility and leadership.”
The TLF events included educational tours and meetings at the White House the Secret Service Headquarters the Department of Education and the Taiwanese Embassy (TECRO).
During the week students observed House committee hearings and attended private TLF speaking forums featuring several Washington leaders including Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Former FBI Director Judge William S. Sessions. In addition to business and policy meetings the students had personal interaction with several Members of Congress and met with one of our Texas senators the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison.
“These students are a breath of fresh air in Washington where the air is fairly polluted with political rhetoric” stated Congressman Louie Gohmert. “To see them interacting in our nation’s capital would make any Texan proud to say they are from our state. It was a great pleasure to share some of the vast history and sights with such enlightened future leaders. The future in their hands is a comforting thought.”
Each student is selected based upon his or her academic performance community involvement and leadership ability and application requirements include a résumé two one-page essays and a letter of recommendation by a teacher principal counselor or community leader. TLF program requirements include attending local forum meetings participating in the one-week Washington DC conference and completing projects and writing assignments.
“I value the opportunity to discover the perspectives and aspirations of young citizens in my district and I applaud their perseverance discernment and quest for learning that has enabled them to advance in their community and excel in the Texas Leadership Forum” Sessions said. “The business tools and leadership skills they have developed will serve them well in their future educational and professional goals and I look forward to hearing of their continued success.”
Texas Leadership Forum Students: Chris Aguilar of Dallas; Amanda Campbell of Irving; Laura Campuzano of Dallas; Dominic Hilario of Irving; William Lee of Irving; Hannah Marsteller of Dallas; Michael Martinez of Dallas; Mercedez Mendez of Irving; Homero Navarro of Dallas; Ashley Olivo of Dallas; Juvensio Vazquez of Dallas; Alejandro Lozano of Irving; Jarah Wright of Tyler; Katelyn Hukill of Flint; Bryce Bender of Tyler; and Kerry Anderson of Tyler.
The Texas Leadership Forum is a program of the Today Foundation which seeks to foster civic involvement leadership and character building in high school students while educating them about government and public policy. For more information about the Texas Leadership Forum and the Today Foundation please visit www.todayfoundation.org.
