WC represented at national student leadership conference
Weatherford College’s Talent Search program was represented at the 2023 National Student
Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. this June by four students and one counselor.
Talent Search is a federally-funded TRIO program that provides students from disadvantaged backgrounds an avenue to succeed in higher education through academic, career and financial counseling.
High school sophomores Madison Albert from Santo, Malia Cole from Jacksboro, Janelle Hanlon from Mineral Wells and Rose Poe from Springtown attended the six-day conference at American University where they, along with other students from across the country, collaborated to find innovative solutions to today’s societal issues.
The week included a mock congress competition, diversity training, interactive labs, college and career exploration, museum visits and a day on Capitol Hill.
“This experience taught me more about the college admissions process, solving problems, and how to work together efficiently,” Cole said.
Albert said her favorite part was, “making new friends, and the opportunity to meet with congress members.”
In addition to the four students, WC’s education counselor from Talent Search, Alonzo Carlton, was selected as a counselor at the NSLC conference.
“[This experience] reaffirmed that what we do as counselors every day does make a positive impact on the students that we work with,” he said. “I saw and listened to 130 students standing on the steps of the Supreme Court building chanting ‘TRIO Works’ over and over, and that confirmed to me that we do makes a difference.”
The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in and complete their postsecondary education.
“TRIO is very motivated to help everybody that they encounter to succeed,” Poe said, “and TRIO has provided me resources that will better my life in the long run.”
Janelle Hanlon, whose group won the mock congress, said “Many peers of mine have so much potential, and so many dreams. A friend I made on this trip wants to become president, and programs like TRIO are so beneficial to making these dreams possible.”