Local youth travel to participate in prestigious national events

Several local young women have been or will be traveling across the country to participate in prestigious conferences, awards programs, and competitions. Lincoln Middle School student Olivia Wilkinson will be headed to the nation’s capital this weekend to take part in the Junior National Young Leader Conference. Green River High School graduate Isabell Salas just got back from the nation’s capital after attending the 2024 Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit. And GRHS graduate Hannah Skinner is currently in Alabama for the Distinguished Young Women National Finals this weekend.

Olivia Wilkinson

Olivia Wilkinson will join students from across the nation this weekend to take part in a unique academic and career-orientated development experience, the Junior National Young Leader Conference at American University in Washington, D.C.

Wilkinson was nominated to attend the program by Cara Frantzen and Shayla Upton, Language Arts teachers at Lincoln Middle School. In addition to maintaining a 4.0 GPA all three school years, Olivia is passionate about helping her community. She and two others in her troop recently completed their Silver Award in Girl Scouts to improve bus loading zones and community awareness at several schools in the city. Olivia loves learning new things, and with her desire to become a paleontologist, she is looking forward to the academic and career development experience this opportunity will provide. Currently, she enjoys reading books, playing tennis, and band.

“I am excited for Olivia to meet, work, and collaborate with fellow high-aspiring students from other cities and schools,” said Dr. Jan Sikorsky, Vice President, Education for Envision. “The Junior National Young Leader Conference is a wonderful opportunity for ambitious young students to explore their interests outside the classroom and discover how to innovate and think creatively through hands-on immersive learning.”

Isabell Salas

Last week, local youth Isabell Salas was recognized in Washington D.C. at the U.S. Capitol for her achievements in Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration during the 2024 Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit.

“This process taught me so many valuable lessons but even more importantly it taught me who I really am,” Salas said.

The Congressional Award Gold Medal is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress upon youth.

To earn the Gold Medal, each participant must complete at least 400 hours of Voluntary Public Service, 200 hours of Personal Development, and 200 hours of Physical Fitness. Additionally, they must spend at least five days and four nights exploring a new environment or culture. Salas has been consistently working to achieve this award for over 2 yearsl.

Salas’s activities included volunteering with the the annual Make-A-Wish Blood Drive for Public Service, improving the mental side of her golf game for Personal Development, enhancing her exercise and weightlifting skills for Physical Fitness, and planning and executing a family camping and fishing trip at the Flaming Gorge for Expedition/Exploration.

This year’s three-day Gold Medal Summit honored 724 youth awardees from 47 states and territories and 232 Congressional districts across the nation, making this group the largest Gold Medal class to date.

Hannah Skinner

Hannah Skinner traveled to Mobile, Alabama on Tuesday, June 18, to participate in the 67th Distinguished Young Women National Finals on June 27 – 29 at the Mobile Civic Center Theater.

Courtesy photo

Hannah Skinner will be competing in the 67th Distinguished Young Women National Finals this weekend.

Skinner is one of 50 representatives competing for $155,000 in cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the program as the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2024.

Following her selection as the Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming, Skinner began preparations for National Finals, which will include five categories of evaluation: scholastics, interview, fitness, talent, and self-expression. During her two weeks in Mobile, Skinner will participate in team building activities, complete community service projects, interact with the Gulf Coast community through various events, and engage in many hours of rehearsal in preparation for the three-night scholarship program.

“These young women are accomplished, talented, intelligent, and have exciting futures ahead of them,” said Carole Hegwood, Executive Director of Distinguished Young Women.

If selected as the program’s overall winner, Skinner will spend the next year representing Distinguished Young Women across the country through various appearances and promoting the program’s national outreach initiative of Be Your Best Self. The outreach program is designed to combat major issues facing children today including childhood obesity and high school dropout rates, as well as encourage young people to take an active interest in their communities through service.