Sixth-grader Quinn Gamon just got back from a week in Washington, D.C. for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference. And she couldn't have done it without Zachary's help.

Quinn's ELA teacher nominated her for the program, which brought together hundreds of kids from all over the country at the University of Maryland in College Park. The conference is part of Envision, which runs programs in leadership, medicine, law, engineering, and more at universities nationwide.

The DC Experience

Quinn packed a lot into her week in the capital. She toured the state capitol, explored the National Museum of American History (where she got to see Lin-Manuel Miranda's original Hamilton costume!), and even met with senators and representatives in the House of Representatives.

During a mock presidential election, she served as part of the press corps where she was able to practice asking the tough questions. She enjoyed it, though she admits she really wanted to be on defense, but "they picked all the boys for that."

"My favorite part was when we went to the state capitol and got to tour it," Quinn said. "I also loved when we went to the National Museum of American History."

How Zachary Made It Happen

The trip came together pretty last-minute. Quinn's family found out about it in late March, and the deposit was due in April, but once they decided to go for it, the community stepped up big time.

Quinn and her mom sold scratch-off tickets for $10 each, and Quinn spoke at both the Zachary City Council meeting and the Zachary Men's Club to raise awareness and funds.

"Our friends and family and the community got her there," Quinn's mom said. "One hundred percent Zachary got her there."

Speaking at city council was quite the experience too. Quinn sat through a four-hour meeting that ran until 10 p.m., watching council members debate over "some random plot of land." Talk about getting a real taste of local politics!

What's Next

The conference definitely sparked something in Quinn. She's planning to run for student council this year and continue with the student advisory group that meets with the superintendent. As for politics as a career? "Probably not," she laughed. "It's really complicated."

But she's already eyeing another Envision program. Next time she's thinking about joining the criminal justice track. Now that her family knows about the programs and how they work, they're planning to fundraise throughout the year instead of scrambling at the last minute.

Quinn also made some great friends during the week, including girls from Florida and Wisconsin who she's still keeping in touch with.

Mayor David McDavid was so impressed with Quinn's presentation to the city council that he's asked her to come back and share more about her experience at a future meeting.

Quinn's mom was proud watching her daughter step up to speak in front of strangers. "I was really proud of her just going and talking to these people," she said. "To go up in front of a group of people that you don't know, that's scary for anybody."

For other Zachary families curious about these opportunities, Envision runs programs year-round at different universities across the country. They offer tracks in everything from veterinary medicine to engineering, so there's something for just about every interest. The programs are open to students from fifth grade through high school, with kids grouped by age during activities.