During the final week of January, 12 students from Oak Ridge High School’s National Honor Society attended the LEAD conference in Washington, DC. This National Student Leadership Conference aimed to build connections, enhance leadership abilities leadership through service, and amplify student voices. The conference featured diverse workshops, each focusing on one of the four mentioned categories: maintaining good mental health, balancing school, and personal life, and boosting school engagement. Among the students was Myrah Golding, she shares, “Attending this conference opened my eyes to trusting myself, becoming less fearful and embracing new ideas and experiences, and the importance of prioritizing myself.” Myrah also says the information gained would help contribute to her academic and professional growth, which will help her improve her life. Two other students who attended the LEAD conference were Greco Figueroa, the treasurer of NHS and Lonnie Brailsford-Colon. Greco Figueroa explained how the lead trip impacted him, “[it]allowed me to open my perspective on how other people operate-how we are similar and different.” He says how using this knowledge will allow him not to judge but understand new people when meeting them for the first time. Greco also comments on how knowing that different people operate in different ways will let him resolve problems and challenges more effectively. Lonnie Brailsford-Colon is a member of NHS and vice president of the Hispanic Honor Society. During the LEAD conference, he shared how he was able to “grow closer to my peers and make memories that will last me a lifetime.” He adds how he learned there are many types of leaders and how he needs to learn to adapt to every type. To him being a leader means, “To ensure everyone feels heard and understood.” During the trip, participants were able to explore DC by visiting the national museums and national monuments-but most notably-some got to see snow for the very first time when they went snow tubing. Some got to ice-skate for the very first time. Getting to explore the nation’s capital and attend the conference added to each individual in different ways. The LEAD conference was an opportunity to learn how to better oneself and interact with others: learning how to work with others and even with ourselves.