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Kenyan 6th grader nominated for young leaders conference in D.C

Upcoming young leader, Osborne Munyambu of Worcester, Mass. (right) together with other aspiring young leaders during a recent 6 day leadership program organized by the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C .Pic courtesy of the JrNYLC

By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa, posted October 15, 2011
Updated October 16, 9.36 pm

WORCESTER_Mass.,_ Osborne Munyambu, a hardworking, ambitious Kenyan 6th grade student at Rice Square School in Worcester Massachusetts was recently nominated to attend the prestigious Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington D.C .

The annual conference is dedicated to honoring the Nation’s most promising middle school students and preparing them for the wealth of opportunities that lie ahead and has been going on for many years.

Upon the unique nomination due to his outstanding academic achievements and demonstration of leadership potential, Munyambu readily headed to Washington D.C for the conference that took place from September 17 – 22, 2011.

During the six day program, Munyambu joined other outstanding young high-achievers from across the United States who shares his dreams and determination for a unique educational experience.

The theme of the Junior National Young Leaders Conference is Voices of leadership and has seen other top US National leaders go through the program during their formative years.

Munyambu took part in educational activities, presentations and experienced the many Museums and Memorials the Capital city has to offer. He explored the National Museum of American history, the Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War Veterans, Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorials, the White House and the Capital Hill. He was a special guest at historic Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia and ended it with a sleepover in the Maryland Science Center.

In between the trips he attended a small leadership group daily. The key goal was to introduce Junior National Scholars to the important concepts of leadership: character, communication, goal setting, respect, problem solving and teamwork.

Speaking to the assembled young leaders, Marguerite Regan Ph.D Dean of Academic Affairs for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC), the organization that sponsors JrNYLC said that the aim of the JrNYLC is to inspire students to recognize their own leadership skills, measure their skills against those of current and former leaders and return home with new confidence in their ability to exercise positive influence within their communities.

“Young people are not only welcome in Washington, D.C., they actually keep this city and our country running.” added Regan.

Munyambu story is one of the increasing reports of young Kenyan students who are being recognized in various communities in the USA for their talent in the academic field including sciences and math.

With the attendance to the JrNYLC conference, Munyambu has set his sights further into the future when he may be looking to serve as a congressman or senator in the USA.

Conference attendees visit the Lincoln Memorial

“I really liked the conference because it opened my eyes to bigger things that I can do in the future like becoming a senator,” Munyambu told Ajabu Africa News during an interview at his home in Worcester Mass., after returning from D.C.

Munyambu had an extra bonus from attending the conference as he made some good friends with other students from other states.

Among one of those friends was Nicholas from Dallas, Texas, who actually called Munyambu on the phone from Texas for a lively chat, momentarily disrupting the interview with Ajabu Africa.

The young Kenyan thanked his parents for the opportunity to attend the conference since several other high achieving children who were also nominated to attend the event could not make it there as their parents could not afford to pay the steep expenses required from all attendees.

However, as with most other good things, the opportunity to take part in the prestigious and door opening conference required a lot of sacrifice for Munyambu’s parents.

Upon his successful completion of the conference, he was awarded an official certificate of merit as a testament to his hard work and dedication.

The young Kenyan has become a new inspiration to the many Kenyan American youths in the USA who can now focus on greater achievements that will not only help them stay out of trouble but become a source of pride to the young Kenyan immigrant community in the USA.

Ajabu Pictorial