LOCAL STUDENT SELECTED TO ATTEND LEADAMERICA’S CONGRESSIONAL STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
James (Mitchell) McCormick is pictured here with his grandfather, WWII Vet and Omaha Beach survivor, Harold R. Brown.
Washington, D.C. – James Mitchell McCormick, a sophomore at Friday Harbor High School, has been selected to attend the 2006 Congressional Student Leadership Conference, sponsored by LeadAmerica, at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Exceptional high school students with a record of academic achievement and extracurricular or community involvement, are selected from across the United States and internationally to participate.
Students select an academic area to study, and challenge themselves to excel and realize their full potential by engaging in interactive workshops and activities. Students learn and develop vital leadership skills, including effective communication, conflict resolution, team building and time management.
Mitchell has chosen the course on Intelligence, Defense & National Security and will have the privilege of meeting intelligence officers, military leaders, and policy makers and learn about complex issues facing our world today. He will pursue attendance at the Junior War College next summer, which will lend favorably to his goal in seeking an Air Force Academy appointment upon his graduation in June of 2008.
Mitchell’s high PSAT score as a freshman (ranking among the top 8% of high school students nationally in math) enabled him to enroll in AP Physics and AP US History this year. He will also be enrolling in an on-line language course for Arabic this summer and has arranged two Arabic speaking tutors. After completing ground school with Dan DeShon last year, he plans to log his remaining flying hours and test for his pilot’s license next summer. He is currently employed by Luxel Corporation as a laboratory assistant and is in the process of developing and securing patents for several of his own inventions. Mitchell has been involved in Boy Scouts since he was five years old and is working towards his Eagle Scout rank. He plays the trombone and toured with the high school jazz band to the Bahamas in 2003. He also plays high school football, basketball, and participates in track. Mitchell belongs to St. David’s Episcopal Church and began serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister this year.
Mitchell is looking forward to his participation in the conference, as LeadAmerica is the nation's premier youth leadership organization with the mission of transforming the world's next generation of leaders.
Further information on LeadAmerica and the CSLC can be found at www.lead-america.org or by calling 1.866.FYI.LEAD (394.5323).