By Erin Kelley
Assistant Editor
Silverton High School senior Elizabeth Leslie's strong interest in government and politics began when she watched the television show The West Wing for the first time.
Since then, Leslie has become much more involved with government, and will be attending two prestigious programs in Washington D.C. in the coming months.
First, Leslie will be attending the National Council for International Visitors Citizen Diplomacy Program for Emerging Leaders in February. Leslie was one of 12 people chosen, ages 16-25, to attend NCIV's annual conference, and to make a video aimed at getting young people involved in diplomacy. While there, Leslie will also attend lectures on different forms of leadership, along with filming and editing the video.
Following that, Leslie will again visit Washington D.C. in March for the United States Senate Youth Program. Leslie was one of the two students chosen from Oregon to attend the program, which aims to educate students in politics. The group will visit museums, attend lectures with a Supreme Court and different Senators/Representatives, tour the White House and the Pentagon, have a brief meeting with the President, and attend a banquet with all the United States Senators.
“I hope that this trip will make me even more concreted in my belief that this is really the direction I want to be traveling,” Leslie said.
Leslie is planning on either attending American University or McDaniel College in the fall, and plans to double major in political science and history. She aims to attend law school after college, with a career in policymaking and legislation or in the legal justice system.
“My favorite thing though, is when our government is able to set aside differences and really dive into issues and find the best solution for everybody, politics aside,” Leslie said.
