Rising Gulf Breeze High School junior Hailey Philips stands at the door of Florida Sen. Bill Nelson during a recent National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. Submitted photo This summer, 257 outstanding high school students from across the United States, including rising junior Hailey Philips of Gulf Breeze, took part in a unique leadership development conference in the nation’s capital.

During the nine-day program July 17-25, the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) provided scholars with the opportunity to interact with a variety of personnel who work within the three branches of government, the news media and the international community.

Philips, 16, and her peers were welcomed to the floor of the House of Representatives – a privilege that is seldom afforded to other groups. Students also interacted with prominent members of the Washington press corps at the National Press Club and met with senators and representatives or appointed staff members to discuss important issues facing the nation.

“It was an experience of a lifetime,” said Philips, the daughter of Jamie and Robyn Philips of Gulf Breeze.

Students participated in a number of leadership skillbuilding activities and simulations. In one role-play activity titled ‘If I Were President,’ students acted as the president and Cabinet members responding to an international crisis.

“I was assigned to a group named for famous statesman Frederick Douglass. I gave a speech before 100 total strangers and was elected vice president,” Philips said. “(The key) was straight-off how great you could deliver.”

Philips is a student government leader at GBHS and a gifted member of the school’s congressional debate team. She credited instructor Steve Stanquist for preparing her for speaking publicly in Washington.

“(Stanquist) is such a good coach,” she said. “He taught me how to speak. Going up there with that kind of background, being able to deliver a speech fluently in front of a hundred people I didn’t know and have it come off without a hitch was amazing. Now I came back with even more speaking experience.”

Students also participated in Testing the Constitution, in which they examined actual Supreme Court cases. The Conference culminated with the Model Congress, in which scholars assumed the roles of U. S. Representatives and debated, amended and voted on proposed mock legislation.

“I met Rep. Jeff Miller’s Education Advisor and had a 45-minute conversation about education in our area,” she said. “I learned so much about the way our government works, how to deliver an argument, how to be more persuasive, to give an interview and take an interview.

“Staffers in Jeff Miller’s and Marco Rubio’s offices gave me a half-hour to talk to them. They expected me to be smart, so there was some pressure. It was so scary. But all of a sudden, you get into a conversation and you look at your watch and you think it’s 2 minutes later and it’s really been an hour.”

Philips’ dream is to get a law degree and pursue a career in politics. During her visit, she overheard numerous people in the halls of the Capitol discussing the debt-ceiling crisis that gripped the nation prior to Aug. 2.

“I really want to be a state legislator or even work on Capitol Hill as a representative or senator,” Philips said. “A law degree shows you have the experience and education and capacity to learn and be there and put yourself out there in the environment around you.”

CYLC is a nonpartisan, independent, educational organization. Since 1985, the Council has inspired more than 200,000 young people to achieve their full leadership potential. Members of the U.S. Congress serve on the CYLC Honorary Congressional Board of Advisors. In addition, more than 50 embassies participate in the Council’s Honorary Board of Embassies.

“NYLC prepares students to serve our country well, whether that means as elected officials in our nation’s capital, as active members within communities around the world or as intelligent, creative and responsible members of the work force,” said Marguerite Regan, Ph.D., Dean of Academic Affairs for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC), the organization that sponsors the Conference.

“Through a series of simulations, we placed these young leaders in the proverbial driver’s seat on a variety of issues facing our country today. Their determination, as shown within the Conference, is a good indicator of the types of leaders we will see in the future.”