Cary teen attends Global Youth Leadership Conference

Madeline Loch, a 17-year-old Cary resident and incoming senior at Prairie Ridge High School, participated in the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC), a unique leadership development conference that covered three European cities June 30 to July 12.

The theme of the GYLC was The Leaders of Tomorrow Preparing for the Global Challenges and Responsibilities of the Future. Students from more than 40 countries visited Vienna, Prague and Berlin, interacting with key leaders and newsmakers with powerful influence over politics, finance, culture and diplomacy.

“It was a life changing experience,” Loch says. “I had the opportunity to make friends with high school students from every part of the globe and it solidified my interest in pursuing international relations when I graduate from high school. I loved that I had the opportunity to work with people from completely different cultures to identify solutions to common societal challenges.”

GYLC scholars take part in a carefully designed curriculum which includes thought-provoking simulations that build leadership skills. “The Global Young Leaders Conference aims to provide scholars with the opportunity to collaborate with their peers from around the world to both study and resolve global conflict,” said Dr. Marguerite C. Regan, Dean of Academic Affairs for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC), the organization that sponsors GYLC. “When ideas and points of view are shared, the true results of the Conference are realized.”

Students attending GYLC Europe participated in a luncheon at Vienna City Hall and in a case study on water scarcity in Berlin. While in Vienna, Loch proved to be the only scholar out of the more than 240 attending GYLC who studies German, so the German National Honors Society Scholar received the honor of presenting the Parliament members in attendance to her peers.

CYLC is a nonpartisan educational organization. Founded in 1985, the Council is committed to fostering and inspiring young people to achieve their full leadership potential. In addition, more than 50 embassies participate in the CYLC Honorary Board of Embassies. For additional information, visit us at www.cylc.org.