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PROFILE 

Preston W.

Alumnus, NYLF National Security 2013
United States Military Academy, Class of 2019

“My country inspires me to lead. As a nation that is $17.5 trillion in debt, it will require optimal leadership if it ever hopes to become the crown jewel of nations it once was, especially as global tensions escalate so frequently.”

Preston’s goal, from the age of 11, has been to attend a United States Service Academy, preferably West Point. He desires to serve his country as a leader who firmly believes in “from-the-front leadership” in the military before retiring and joining the political arena in Congress.

Preston recently earned the Principal Nomination from Arizona Senator John McCain to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has formally accepted, and is looking forward to R-Day (Reception Day) on June 29th, 2015. He is thrilled to finally see the fruits of his seven years of labor in pursuing his ultimate dream. Congratulations, Preston.

Q&A with Preston

  • How was attending the program different from learning in a traditional classroom?
    In a classroom, you feel you are being forced to learn a concept. At NYLF National Security, I constantly felt as though I was participating. Only a very small classroom could ever be as interactive as an NYLF classroom. It is this type of interactive learning that inspires me the most as a leader and it helps me to better work with people of all viewpoints.
  • What inspires you as a young leader?
    As a young leader, many things inspire me. My faith inspires me to make the world better by giving back to my community and trying to impress a high standard of morality and integrity. My country inspires me to lead. As a nation that is $17.5 trillion in debt, it will require optimal leadership if it ever hopes to become the crown jewel of nations it once was, especially as global tensions escalate so frequently. Most of all, mankind inspires me as a leader. I often see humans as a species making very poor decisions and pushing to move in the wrong direction. This fuels me to take the reins and steer us back on course.
  • What was the highlight of your NYLF National Security experience?
    The highlight of my experience was laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I drafted an essay about why I deserved the honor prior to attending the forum. I am thankful I was chosen. The experience is still my favorite in life, thus far.
  • What was the most important or most interesting thing that you learned while attending?

    I had the pleasure of exploring a wide variety of issues facing America and pioneering solutions to those issues. The most interesting thing to learn was how massive the War on Drugs is, how fragile the balance between a U.S. victory and defeat truly is and how we can better counter the issues that arise. It is this kind of active problem solving that is the greatest skill that NYLF National Security honed in me.

  • What would you tell other students who are interested in attending an Envision program?
    I would tell an interested student that, if the Envision program is on a topic you find interesting, it is immensely beneficial to go. Be sure to give all of your effort to the program as how much you put in is directly proportional to how much you learn and enjoy. History is not written by those who give 50 percent, it is written by those who give 110 percent.
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