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Honored Mary Queen Of Heaven Student Taking A Monumental Trip
Twelve-year-old Alyssa Elezye, a sixth grader at Mary Queen of Heaven School, has been chosen to join a select group of students from across the coun-try who will visit Washington D.C for one week next September. Elezye is scheduled to participate in a forum where she will discuss how successful leaders have developed strategies, made decisions and implemented change through history. Based on her outstanding scholastic merit and civic involvement, Elezye was recently accepted into the People to People World Leadership Program, developed by President Dwight Eisen-hower over 50 years ago. The program instills in students the characteristics of leadership. While earning high school credit the youngster will also have the opportunity to explore one of America's most popular tourist sights and visit several of America's most famous landmarks, monuments and institutions such as Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institute and The Lincoln Memorial, which Elezye said she most looks forward to visiting. "My mom visited the memorial when she was younger," said Elezye. "I want to experience the same thing. I also want to learn all I can from being there." Elezye and students from all walks of life will share hotel rooms under the supervision of program coordinators. With assistance from tour guides, students will visit different landmarks each day and write accounts of their exploits in a binder. Upon her return, Eleyze will share her experiences and studies with her Mary Queen of Heaven classmates. When Social Studies teacher Gloria Cerchione received the People to People World Leadership program application from Principal Sister Mary Donna Murphy, her first choice was Elezye. "Alyssa has a lot of self confidence," said Cerchione. "She also has a willingness to accept challenges, explore new venues of learning and she has a natural charm. "I hope she comes back from this trip with a sense of accomplishment and pride. I also hope she learns leadership skills that she can use as an adult. She's a very conscientious student and I know she is eager to learn," Cerchione added. Elezye has been receiving honors since the first grade and is the treasurer of the Junior Beta Society, an elementary school version of the honor society and teaches leadership through service. "I know she will come back and be able to make an interesting presentation on what she learned from her trip," said Principal of Mary Queen of Heaven School Sister Mary Donna Murphy. In her free time Elezye enjoys tennis and has an interest in acting. She anticipates majoring in math and science in college and aspires to work with children or become a doctor. "My friends say they're jealous that I get to travel - that I'm always doing things they don't get to do," she said. "But I tell them don't give up on their studies and try to take that extra step forward and they can reach their goals."
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