Ridgewood November 16, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 9 Mark Salzman, a sixth grade student at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, recently returned to Ridgewood from a five-day gathering of “scholars” from across the country. He was one of 200 students nominated from their school districts across the United States to attend a session of the Junior National Young Leaders Conference during the week of Oct. 15. Participants were housed at the 4-H Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland as they joined in this program to enhance their leadership skills. The day they arrived, students were taken to historical sites, including the Washington Monument and World War II Memorial. “It was tough getting around that day because many people had gathered to see the opening of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statute and protestors from Occupy Washington were also gathering near the Lincoln Memorial,” Salzman explained. Local student returns from National Youth Conference He was assigned roommates from Alabama, Florida, and Minnesota. That night, the entire group of boys and girls took on tasks that focused on character, communication, goal-setting, problem-solving, respect, and teamwork. Participants traveled to other sites for focus groups and discussions held by the teaching staff and guest lecturers. There was a visit to the Capitol Building, a photo stop outside the White House, and a final night that included a sleep over at the Maryland Science Center. One highlight for Salzman was the trip to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, the site of American abolitionist John Brown’s raid. The students learned about Brown’s childhood and his effort to liberate Southern slaves. After the students gathered information about Brown, the students debated whether they would have followed in the raid. “It was a very good way to learn how to Mark Salzman at the Washington Monument. speak up (for) what I believe in or think about in an issue,” Salzman explains. “I was around students who knew what to do and how to set things up. I also believe that I helped other scholars who hadn’t been as social to learn to speak up for themselves.” The JrNYLC program is available to students in grades six through eight who are nominated by a teacher. There is also a conference for high school students. “I had an absolutely amazing experience at the conference, and I will always remember the friends and memories that I made. I hope that many other students from Ridgewood and Bergen County can have an experience like mine,” Salzman said. Salzman was able to make the trip with the donat ions f rom local busi nesses. (continued on page 15)