Most people’s image of Washington, D.C. is that of a den of
corruption, but after a week in the nation’s capitol, eighth grade
Rancho San Justo Middle School student Alisha Cornick is pretty
sure she wants to be a politician.
Hollister – Most people’s image of Washington, D.C. is that of a den of corruption, but after a week in the nation’s capitol, eighth grade Rancho San Justo Middle School student Alisha Cornick is pretty sure she wants to be a politician.
“I want to do something with politics and this trip really taught me a lot about that,” she said Wednesday, a week after returning from a six-day Eisenhower People to People Leadership Forum with 200 of her peers from across the county.
The mission of the forum is to teach top students leadership skills and build active citizens, Director of Admissions Susannah Cornelius said. Dwight D. Eisenhower created the forum in 1956. About 2,400 students attend the organization’s 12 forums each year.
Cornick, 13, was nominated by her language arts teacher, Kathy Larabell.
“To me, she is an exemplary student,” Larabell said. “I thought this would really open up doors for her in the future.”
For the last three years, Larabell has successfully nominated one Rancho student each year to attend the forum. Students from other San Benito County schools, including Tres Pinos and Southside, have also attended the forum in recent years.
As a student Larabell had been nominated for similar programs, but could not afford to attend. She got involved with the People to People forum in order help students have some of the opportunities that she missed out on as a student.
“These types of experiences often change your outlook,” Larabell said. “It really changes your perspective and introduces you to the diversity of the United States.”
Although she missed a week of school, Cornick learned more than she imagined, she said.
“I learned a lot about our history and how to be leader – to always have an open mind because anything can happen,” she said.
Leadership is one of the things that Cornick has brought back to Rancho San Justo.
“I have more confidence, this was totally out the ordinary, so it gave me confidence that I could do anything,” she said. “Now, I have a different perspective about people.”
Cornick visited dozens of landmarks, including the Capitol building, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and several museums.
“To see everything for the first time was awesome,” she said. “But my favorite was the Air and Space Museum.”
Cornick, who will be attending San Benito High School next year, hopes that more students will be able to take advantage of this program in the coming years.
“I would definitely recommend this to other students,” Cornick said. “You meet friends that you will never forget and learn things that you wouldn’t normally learn.”
Although still unsure about the kind of career she wants in politics, Cornick may follow in footsteps of the nation’s 34th president.
“Eisenhower cared for this country,” she said. “He would have given his life for this country.”
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com
