NSLC represents the National Student Leadership Conference. Students around Winter Springs High School have been nominated to attend this summer program to obtain hands-on experience for their future careers. The programs will be hosted at 13 American university campuses in 2024: Yale, Columbia, Johns Hopkins University, American University, Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Duke, University of Miami, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, The University of British Columbia, University of California in Berkeley, and University of California in Los Angeles.
Different campuses host different career paths for middle and high school students. All universities reward their students with a letter of recommendation, an academic transcript, and a certificate of achievement. The high school programs include careers in the following fields: medicine and biological sciences, government and law, business and leadership, engineering and computer science, and design, art, and media. The middle school programs involve animal sciences, engineering, medicine and health care, and U.S. history and government.
All high school programs are nine days, except the Leadership and Service program, which is six days, and the Medicine Intensive program, which is eighteen days. Middle school programs are all six days. The program’s high cost causes it to be unfavored among WSHS students and other students around the country. Prices span from $2,859 to $6,995, paying for included meals, transportation, dorm rooms, and the required materials. Students can apply for a scholarship to assist with decreasing the price. To earn a scholarship, the student must be already registered in an upcoming program.
NSLC presents students with many guest speakers who show the importance of their profession. Students also experience life as if they were college students and can register to earn college credit by attending the offered programs at the American University; college credit tuition payment is not included in the program’s cost. NSLC is a great opportunity to meet students from different parts of the nation.
The topic of enrolling in NSLC tends to be controversial. Gabriella Arnold stated, “I think it’s a great experience and it can help my future.” Lillian Chorbak disagreed with Arnold, arguing, “I think it would be a good experience, but overall it’s just not worth the price. And I feel like it doesn’t help with college that much.” Neha Joshi explained, “I would [attend] because it’s a good opportunity for people to explore the career path they want.”
Students who are not nominated are allowed to enroll themselves as well by going to NSLC’s website, nslcleaders.org. More information for scholarships can be found at nslcleaders.org/scholarships. For 35 years with over 30 programs, NSLC has continued to positively influence young student’s lives.
