Young Leaders Conference

Leon Day would not have minded seeing his grandson with a baseball in his hand. A book in his hand, however, would have impressed him more. "He always told us: 'Pick up a book and read. Get an education; they can't take that away from you. Knowledge is power,' " recalled Sarah Newkirk Clark, the daughter of the Hall of Fame pitcher and Negro league legend. Clark's 15-year-old son, Leon Day Newkirk, seems to have absorbed the lesson. He frequently picks up and reads honor-roll certificates, academic awards, college scholarship offers, and, last month, an invitation to attend the annual National Young Leaders Conference this summer on Capitol Hill.

JEFFREY CARE was one of 350 National Scholars who attended the six-day National Young Leaders Conference last week in Washington.The Linthicum Heights resident met leaders and news makers from the three branches of government, the media and the diplomatic corps as part of the program, "The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today."The participants, all high school students, were chosen based on leadership potential and scholastic merit. Jeffrey, a junior at Mount St. Joseph College High School, participated in several leadership skills activities.

Melvin Thomas II could have spent his spring break at the mall or planted in front of a video game system at home. Instead, the seventh-grader at Elkridge Landing Middle School underwent leadership training in the capital of the free world. The 13-year-old spent his spring break attending the Junior National Young Leaders Conference, an international youth conference in Washington. The Howard County teen was nominated by his reading teacher, Kristina Spicer, to join 250 middle school students from across the nation.

WEST COLUMBIAN Scott Harman should have an interesting tale to tell his friends about what he did over summer vacation. On Monday, Harman joined more than 200 bicyclists in Seattle for the third American Lung Association's Radio Shack Big Ride - traveling by bicycle more than 3,250 miles and across 12 states in 48 days to raise money and awareness for the fight against lung disease. "I've always dreamed of venturing across America by bike," Harman said. "Knowing that every breath I take along the way will help those individuals who struggle with their own makes my trip even more meaningful."

For two Liberty High School seniors, becoming president someday doesn't seem like an impossible dream.Sara Atwell of Eldersburg and Anni Hill of Finksburg, both seniors at Liberty, attended the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington this semester, and returned from Capitol Hill with political ambitions."

At River Hill High School last year, Michelle Waters was a leader in the school's Student Government Association and a member of the cheerleading squad. In her community, she has volunteered for neighborhood clean-ups, worked in soup kitchens, tutored younger students and worked as a swimming instructor and lifeguard for the Columbia Association. Now, the 16-year-old junior wants to be a leader outside of her school and community. She took a big step toward that goal last month when she attended an 11-day conference in Washington.

Stephanie Linton of Mount Airy has been selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference tomorrow through Sunday in Washington.The conference is a leadership development program for high school students who have demonstrated scholastic merit.The theme will be "The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today." Students will meet with leaders from the three branches of government, the media and diplomatic corps.Stephanie will meet with local representatives to discuss issues of importance to Eldersburg and surrounding areas.

Geraldine Marie Mishev, a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, has been selected as a state recipient of the Amateur Athletic Union/MARS Milky Way High School All-American Award for academic, athletic and community service achievements.*Stephen D. Cohen, professor of International Service at American University in Washington, recently received the "Distinguished Professor" award by the Phi Kappa Phi.*Leza Collins of Baltimore was among the outstanding high school students from across the nation selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference held last month in Washington.

Bernie Kenyon, a Mount St. Joseph chemistry teacher, was one of 20 teachers chosen from 14 states to participate in a two-week seminar given by E. I. Dupont in Wilmington, Del. Mr. Kenyon will study issues of polymer chemistry, biotechnology and the environment.*Herbert C. Sledge Jr., director of public relations at Baltimore City Community College, has been elected vice president of the Maryland Council of Community College Public Relations Officers.*Hans M. Aquilar, a senior at High Point High School in Beltsville, has been nominated as a Congressional Scholar and will represent his school and community in a delegation of Marylanders at the National Young Leaders Conference to be held in Washington in November.

Penny Olson, a nursing student at Villa Julie College, has been selected to attend an International Student Nurses Conference in Madrid, Spain, with all expenses paid. The award from the Helene Fuld Health Trust is given for academic and extracurricular achievement.*Jennifer Rene Bernstein of Towson has been awarded the Hunt Manor Women's Club Scholarship at Essex Community College.*Cherilyn Turpin of Briarclift Road was among the 350 outstanding high school students from across the nation to attend the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington last month.