Endy student tours D.C., other cities during conference

By Tiffany Thompson, Staff Writer

Sunday, April 27, 2008 April 28, 2008 09:01 am

— Endy Elementary seventh-grader Akik Islam travelled to Washington D.C. March 24-29 for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference.
This was Islam’s first trip to the nation’s capital, but the travelling didn’t stop there.
He also visited Philadel-phia, Pa., Harper’s Ferry, W. Va. and Maryland.
“We had a filled schedule,” said 12-year-old Islam.
“We had breakfast, then meetings, then a trip, then more meetings each day.”
For each of the meetings, the students who attend the event, which numbered approximately 200, were divided into groups. Each group represented one of the six leadership traits: Res-pect, Goal Setting, Com-munications, Character, Teamwork and Problem Solving. Islam was in the Respect group.
“We were tested and graded before we left and depending on where we scored determined which group we were in,” he said.
Islam said his favorite part of the trip was when the group visited the National Science Center in Washing-ton D.C. and were able to spend the night in the building.
“We got to sleep over at the science center and explore the exhibits after everyone was gone,” he said.
Also while in Washington D.C., Islam and the other students explored the national monuments. His favorite was the Korean War Monument because anywhere you stood around it, there was always a soldier looking at you.
Islam said he was nominated for the trip by a teacher, and he had to complete an essay. After he was chosen, he received a scholarship to help pay for the trip.
Islam enjoys playing sports, especially soccer, and he plays the trumpet and piano. He also is involved in Karate and he loves to work with computers.
As a seventh-grader, Islam has some big goals for himself. He plans to get into a top college to get a good education so he can get a good job.

Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.

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