Oak Grove Elementary School fifth-grader Rory Sargalis is one of 250 students from across the United States who will take part in the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington next month. The conference is a program of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council.

The theme of the conference is Voices of Leadership: Reflecting on the Past to create the Future. During the six-day program, scholars take part in educational activities and presentations and meet with elected officials and key Congressional staff members on Capitol Hill. Students also visit relevant sites, such as Harpers Ferry, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.'s monuments and memorials.

In addition to examining notable U.S. leaders and historic figures, students study the impact of leadership throughout critical periods of American history including the Civil War and Reconstruction, World War II, the Great Depression and the Civil Rights Movement. Upon completion of JrNYLC, students gain a greater sense of understanding of the role of individuals in American democracy, as well as the responsibilities of being a leader.