Elizabeth Meade, a junior at Notre Dame High School, attended the 2009 Global Leadership Summit, a college-accredited invitational leadership program for academically talented and promising young leaders from across the United States and internationally.
The ten-day program, sponsored by LeadAmerica, was held at Catholic University in Washington, DC and Pace University New York City.
At the Global Leadership Summit, Elizabeth explored leadership on a global level and real-world diplomatic challenges that affect the international balance of power and peace. Elizabeth and fellow students were presented with real-life crises including ethnic cleansing in Darfur, electoral violence in Haiti and boundary disputes in Kashmir.
Students acted as heads of government, emissaries from international organizations and representatives of special interest groups as they tackled the issues in a hands-on global leadership simulation.
Elizabeth visited the United States State Department while in Washington, DC and the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
“LeadAmerica’s goal is to inspire and empower young people to achieve their full potential and to instill in them a sense of purpose, integrity and personal responsibility," said Chris M. Salamone, Esq., founder and executive director of LeadAmerica.
“I cannot think of a time in history during which leadership was more imperative. And for teens, leadership can make an important difference in their lives - in their academic and personal performance, in their acceptance to the college of their choice, and in their level of focus, passion and purpose.”
Officials said, "LeadAmerica is the nation's premier youth leadership organization." Each of its high school conferences is college-accredited and its programs are approved activities of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
LeadAmerica sponsors the Congressional Student Leadership Conference for high school students, the National Junior Leaders Conference for middle and junior high school students, and Ambassadors Abroad international study programs in Europe, Australia and Costa Rica.
Further information on LeadAmerica and the CSLC can be found by calling 866 FYI-LEAD (394-5323).