Stuart Hall School student explores U.S. National security

STAUNTON — Stuart Hall School sophomore Tanner Hodges was accepted to attend the fall National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security: Exploring American Diplomacy, Intelligence and Defense. He is currently at the forum and benefiting from the opportunities it affords. Tanner is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Hodges of McDowell.

Outstanding high school students from across the United States are taking part in this career development program in the nation's capital. During the sixday program, the National Youth Leadership introduces students to challenging careers in national security, intelligence, the diplomatic corps and more.

"Imagine being 16 or 17 years old and the responsibility of securing the United States at home and abroad rests on your shoulders. Through specialized simulations, the National Youth Leadership Forum on

National Security strives to put students in the driver's seat of building a strategy that will uphold our national security," said Marguerite C. Regan, Dean of Academic Affairs of NYLF. "The combination of interacting with professionals and with other students in this setting ensures that leaders are being developed so the future of our country will remain very bright."

The curriculum is based on actual world events. Throughout the program, students use critical thinking, leadership and public speaking skills to tackle the complexity of national decisionmaking as they examine how the U.S. plans for peace and prepares for crisis. They employ a crisis decision-making process similar to that employed by the nation's top policy makers.

Students also participate in thought-provoking question and answer sessions with highly respected, internationally recognized civilian policy makers and senior military. In addition, leading institutions open their doors to NYLF/ NS students, where they are educated in diplomacy, international affairs and military strategy. Past programs have included visits to several government institutions and military installations, such as the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Naval Academy, a variety of embassies and many others.