Finley’s John Lourenso Participates in National Conference
John Lourenso likes all the things you would expect an eighth grader to enjoy. After all, he will be 13 years old in November. But, the popular J. Taylor Finley Middle School student has many other interests, too.
Mr. Laurenso’s seventh grade English teacher Lauren Biscardi was impressed with the young man so she nominated him to participate in a six day conference in Washington, DC.
“Each year, I receive a form from the Junior National Young Leaders Conference and I get to nominate five students (out of my 120 students) to attend the conference,” Ms. Biscardi said. “They ask that teachers nominate students who excel in the classroom and who demonstrate leadership qualities. Once the five students are nominated, they are notified and have the option to sign up for the conference in Washington D.C.”
A member of Finley’s National Junior Honor Society chapter, Mr. Lourenso also plays football and baseball for the Falcons. He enjoys skiing and golfing and plays on the CGI Braves baseball travel team.
“Last year, John was my only student, out of the five who were nominated, that took advantage of this wonderful opportunity,” Ms. Biscardi said. “John was always a student who was highly motivated and I felt that he was one of the best candidates for the conference. I knew that he would learn a lot from it. I see such potential in him. I knew that the conference would help strengthen his talents and prepare him for the eighth grade curriculum. While he was in my class, he always strived to do his best and he brought such energy into the room. He was truly a role model for other students and he was the first student that I nominated out of the five. John always excelled academically, but it was really his optimism and willingness to collaborate and share ideas with others that set him apart from the rest of the class.”
Mr. Lourenso and his fellow conference attendees participated in a variety of workshops designed to enhance their communication and leadership skills. They were able to meet other high performing students from across the United States and work alongside them throughout the week. They shared ideas and collaborated while engaged in skill building activities.
“I’m glad that John got the opportunity to share his talents with the other students he met in Washington D.C.,” Ms. Biscardi said. “It seems like the trip truly benefitted him.”
While Mr. Lourenso and his fellow conference participants learned goal setting and leadership strategies as well as how to go about solving complex problems, the time spent in Washington, DC also provided many other opportunities.
The nation’s capital served as a type of living classroom for conference participants. Mr. Lourenso visited the White House, U.S. Capitol, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, National Museum of American History, Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial and the group took a trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to learn about the Civil War. They even stopped at the Maryland Science Center and stayed overnight there.
Mr. Lourenso said he had a “great experience” and made many new friends from all over the country during his week at the conference. As an alum of the program he is now able to participate in future conferences, too.