SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — This week, 28/22 News highlights a previous Here's To You Kid who earned recognition earlier this year. The Scranton teen was chosen to participate in a program to learn about national security. She shared her experience with 28/22 News.
"It was kind of shocking," said Cailyn Manley.
Shocking is one way Cailyn describes her experience this summer in Washington, D.C.
She attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security at Georgetown University.
The eight-day program for select high school students served as an introductory course, of sorts, into U.S. intelligence, diplomacy, and defense.
"You usually don't know how the country protects us or what they do behind the scenes to protect us. It's just really cool to see it like that," Cailyn said.
As one of 150 high school students chosen to participate, Cailyn heard from guest speakers almost daily. Including a woman who worked undercover for the CIA.
"She showed us the different types of disguises she uses, and you would never think it was her. It was really cool," Cailyn explained.
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Cailyn and her teenage peers even assumed roles in the various fields they were learning about to better understand such things as cybersecurity and foreign relations. They also got to visit landmarks in the D.C. area.
But her favorite part of all was making friends with other teens who shared the experience.
"There were people from everywhere across the country, so, like, getting to make those connections that you never thought you would make and have them be lasting, like, till now is just amazing," Cailyn added.
Cailyn attended a recent Scranton School Board meeting to discuss the trip and express gratitude.
"Overall, I'm truly appreciative of the opportunity to be able to represent West Scranton High School at the National Youth Leadership Forum," Cailyn said at the meeting.
Cailyn says most importantly, the forum left her inspired as she ponders a future profession.
"I think it will help me navigate really what I want to do because this trip was really eye-opening to a lot of different, like, jobs in government and defense and diplomacy, and I think it was something that I never even thought about before, but now that I've gone through it, it's definitely something that I will look into," Cailyn shared.
Cailyn's address to the Scranton School Board included thanking the many community members who helped offset the $5,000 cost of her trip.
Here's to you, Cailyn!
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