U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) on Nov. 22 hosted his sixth Youth Leadership Summit at the Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) in Oglesby, Ill.
“This event is incredibly important because the students we teach today are the leaders of tomorrow,” Rep. Kinzinger said following the event.
The all-day event drew more than 100 junior and senior high school students from 15 high schools across Kinzinger’s 16th Congressional District. The students were selected by their teachers to attend the summit, which included guest speakers, workshops, leadership exercises, and information sessions, according to the congressman’s office.
“As a student, I was always interested in leadership and wanted to learn more about how I could overcome some of my own struggles to reach success,” said Rep. Kinzinger. “By engaging in workshops and opening up the dialogue, we hope to give students a new perspective and some new skills for their future successes.”
Joining the congressman during the summit were IVCC President Jerry Corcoran; Crystal Savage from the Rockford Rescue Mission; and Erika Harold, Miss America 2003 and a local civil litigation attorney.
“I want to thank our outstanding guest speakers this year, and everyone who participated in making this year’s event such a great one,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “I was incredibly impressed by the caliber of conversations and engagement this year, and saw firsthand how bright the future is in IL-16 with these future leaders.”