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Amanda Lane
Willowbrook High School Lombard, Ill.
Joseph Landry Saint Bernard’s Central Catholic High School New Ipswich, N.H.
Nathaniel Reisinger
“There is a lack of youth leadership in today’s world—both in a political sense and a worldly sense—and that is the problem we face. However, not all of the blame can be placed on this generation. Between the lack of objective facts on news stations and in political campaigns, it is no wonder that our youth lack political prowess and understanding. My generation must take responsibility and lead their peers into the future through the search for the truth.”
“Effective leadership is neither a common feature nor an easy accomplishment, but when present, it makes the world a better place. Whether it is exhibited by the foreman of a gang of prisoners, a Catholic nun in the impoverished city of Calcutta, the chief justice of the Supreme Court or any other individual who has the necessary qualities of courage, willingness to sacrifice and good judgment, leadership is essential to the survival of any community.”
“Jason Varitek, catcher for the Boston Red Sox, is one of the most impressive leaders I have ever witnessed. He is unmistakably in charge of that team, even though he is never the best player on the field. There are often team captains, but Varitek is only the third player in the modern baseball era to have actually worn a captain’s jersey, a testament to his teammates’ confidence him.”
Urbana High School Urbana, Ohio
Kelly Ross
Maine-Endwell Senior High Endicott, N.Y.
Nicholas Kordonowy Bishop Verot High School Fort Meyers, Fla.
Robert Vestal
Memphis University School Memphis, Tenn.
Chenxiaoyang “Annie” Zhang Salem High School Canton, Mich.
“I attended a leadership conference and a keynote speaker reminded us, ‘To whom much is given, much will be expected.’ The gift of strong leadership qualities is both a blessing and a curse; there are certainly many burdens that come with this endowment. The most celebrated leaders of the past, and those who will come in the future, will be able to overcome these burdens and use their strong character for the benefit of others. Leadership is the gift given to the few, to touch the lives of the many.”
Throughout its history,
“I enjoy reading and informing myself about what is happening today, while simultaneously looking back into the history of the world and trying to make connections. Like Descartes, I don’t blindly accept other people’s opinions and perceptions, such as the perception that the world has gotten worse over time. I have reached the conclusion that the world gets better with time, that people are fundamentally good, and that I have a responsibility to contribute my singular talents for the continual betterment of mankind.” “Many students at my school labored under the false impression that if they did not take AP chemistry, they should stay far away from all chemistry. I wanted them to have an opportunity to explore chemistry more deeply and maybe discover a love for the subject. I introduced a plan to get more students interested: school-wide demonstrations of an explosive nature. The AP Chemistry class only had to blow up a pumpkin and suddenly the whole school was interested. Thus, the AP chemistry class became the nucleus of a new service-oriented Chemistry Club, and I became its founder and president.” “I founded the Debate Team during my sophomore year, but by the end of the year I was on the brink of quitting. I couldn’t organize my thoughts into arguments, I had no idea what to ask during cross-examination and I wasn’t familiar with the language. It was an embarrassing situation that made me lose faith in myself as a speaker and, most importantly, as a leader. I continually challenged myself by making more speeches and asking more questions. Looking back, I am thankful for my failures because they have made me more conscious of my actions as a leader.”
Washington and Lee University has
been shaped and advanced in its mission by generous gifts. The school’s first major endowment, George Washington’s 1796 donation of James River Canal stock, valued at $20,000, was the largest gift to any educational institution at that time. The Johnson gift of $100 million in 2007, endowing scholarships, faculty positions, and programming with a focus on leadership, affirms the University’s historic values and extends its reach farther and wider than ever before.