Delaney Hautula, a second year student in the Freedom Program at the Patriot Academy, has been chosen to participate in the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. this summer. 

 

   According to the NSLC webpage, the conference “provides an immersive pre-college experience that prepares students for life beyond high school, allowing them to study in university classrooms, learn to navigate a campus, and experience living with roommates.” All students are required to reside in supervised campus dormitories and will be provided meals through campus dining services.

 

   The NSLC allows participants to enjoy a glimpse into a career path in their chosen field. For Hautula, her choice is architecture. The program overview presents a nine-day schedule highlighted by lectures, workshops, guest speakers, a leadership series of presentations focusing on various topics and field trips. Stops include the University of Maryland School Of Architecture, the National Cathedral, the Smithsonian Museum, and additional museums. Trips to the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Washington-area monuments are also on the tentative schedule.   

 

   “I’m excited about this,” Hautula said. “I’ve wanted to be an architect since I was in fourth grade. So going to a college atmosphere early will be a good experience and maybe I want be nervous when I actually go to college (after I graduate).”

 

   The website notes that students are selected for NSLC in a variety of ways. Teachers, counselors, and NSLC alumni nominate students from across the United States and around the world each year. Students may also be selected from one of several national talent identification surveys, including the College Board Student Search Service and the ACT EOS.