Westlake coed heads to Stanford University for a leadership conference

Linda Skolnick

Linda Skolnick, 16, from Thousand Oaks recently completed her junior year at Westlake High School and has been selected to attend the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) on Law and Advocacy on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto.

The NSLC is a leadership development program for outstanding students. Skolnick is among 200 gifted high school students from across the United States and 35 other countries from around the world chosen for this program.

She’ll have the opportunity of a lifetime and will attend special workshops, participate in a mock trial where she’ll take on the role of an attorney and hear special guest speakers who have in past included Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Supreme Court Justice David Souter and Attorney General Janet Reno.

According to a NSLC press release, throughout 11 days, students will develop abilities to think on their feet, engage in critical analysis and communicate effectively — skills that will serve them well in high school, college and beyond.

After attending the NSLC, they believe students will return to their schools with increased potential and newly developed abilities that will help them make a positive difference in their communities.

For Linda, it’s just another journey she’s looking forward to taking. Last summer, Linda studied advertising at the University of Michigan. "It was a new journey, and I went by myself. That’s how Stanford is going to be too," she said.

According to Linda, her parents encouraged her to stay on the Stanford campus and get to know college life. She’d like to attend Columbia University in New York to study business after she graduates.

"I will be studying law at Stanford (through the NSLC), and that will give me a better perspective," Linda said.

In her junior year, Linda took all honors classes, and this fall she’ll be taking five advanced placement (AP) classes. "It will be a tough year, but it will be worth it," she said.

The mission of NSLC is to identify and recognize outstanding young leaders from around the world and to provide them with a unique learning environment to not only encourage academic achievement but also diversity, cooperation and social responsibility.

Dr. Paul M Lisnek, the NSLC director of academics and former assistant dean of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, believes that these students will leave the conference with a true feeling of accomplishment and confidence in their ability to handle the challenges that lie ahead. "Students develop a sense of independence and responsibility," Lisneck said.

What Linda most looks forward to is meeting new people and learning about law.

"I know there are wonderful people teaching it and I just think it will be really be interesting," she said.

When Linda isn’t studying or preparing for her next adventure, she dances ballet, teaches piano, plays tennis and is a volunteer for many community-related programs including Habitat for Humanity. "We were in Piru this past weekend building a house. We rebarbed the whole house," she said.