At the end of October, Wylie junior Anna Javins attended a leadership training in West Point, New York. While there, Anna was able to become friends with high school students from all over the country who are involved in S2S at their schools. She was given the opportunity to meet some of the most powerful and inspirational people in the nation, adults who believe in educating today’s youth on how to make positive impacts on the world.

After being nominated for the program by one of her teachers, Anna had to complete a resume, write an essay, and do a phone interview with sponsors from the Military Child Education Coalition. She was then chosen to be one of only ten students to participate in the training in New York. Anna loved being able to attend lectures with her new friends, then discuss how they could use what they had learned to make a difference in their schools. “The great thing about the people I was with was that we all had the same morals and the same mindset, so we all connected really well. We all came to this program with an open mind and a willingness to learn.”

The teens from all different states were able to gain knowledge on leadership skills. Anna said, “It was very inspiring because we met so many people that had so many great thoughts and points to consider.” At times, it could be overwhelming to have such successful people place their hope in the students. Our generation has seen countless acts of terror, but the leaders of the program truly believe that we can choose not to let fear and tragedy rule us. “We were taught on how we have the power to make the changes we want to see in the world and how it’s not just one person making the changes, it’s a whole plethora of people trying to build up this world.”

One of the things Anna and the others learned is that teamwork is a vital part of leadership. Since leaders need to have consistent character, it’s necessary to have solid friends who can keep them accountable, as well as give support in hard times. Also, a good leader should not be afraid of failure but rather view mistakes as an opportunity to learn. Another aspect of leadership is setting a good example. “Throughout this entire experience, I learned the power of humility and the power of respect; every person deserves respect,” said Anna, who knows how valuable it is to make an effort to positively influence others.

For Anna, one of the highlights of the trip was meeting Frances Hesselbein, the 102 year old woman who founded the program the students participated in. For decades, Hesselbein has worked towards the betterment of the younger generations. She has made a difference in the lives of a multitude of underprivileged children, saying that “Education is key to the world.”  Hesselbein has written several books about leadership and received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The students who went to New York were very grateful to receive the wisdom she had to offer. Anna Javins, along with others, will take this wisdom and impact people’s lives for the better. To close, Hesselbein’s motto, “To live is to serve.”