JHS Student Angel Nyaga Selected for National NCYL Conference

JHS Senior Angel Nyaga

DES MOINES, IA: Two-hundred-thirty-five high school seniors from 23 area high schools were selected by their schools to attend the National
Council on Youth Leadership’s 27th annual Youth Salute on September 9, 2019, at Drake University. Fourteen Johnston High School seniors were among those in attendance.

Participants heard from speakers on student leadership in high school and beyond.

JJ Kapur delivered a keynote address titled “Stand Out and Speak Up.” JJ is currently a sophomore at Stanford University. He attended the 2017 NCYL conference. JJ’s work advocating for Sikh civil rights has earned him the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award, ACLU Youth Advocacy Award, and West Des Moines Emerging Citizen of 2018.

NCYL is dedicated to recognizing, encouraging and developing the leadership skills of youth. The mission of NCYL is to create public awareness of the importance and power of youth leadership, provide information to help build advanced leadership skills, and encourage community involvement in recognition and support our youth. The Greater Des Moines chapter is facilitated by the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, which offers a variety of public awareness activities and programming, including CHARACTER COUNTS!, a widely used character education program.

Four participants were selected as Youth Leaders of the Year and will attend the national NCYL conference, Town Meeting on Tomorrow, in St. Louis in October. Those students were Benton Renaud from Ankeny Centennial High School, Angel Nyaga from Johnston High School, Mary Ann Schwindt from Roosevelt High School and Omar Mustafa from Valley High School. Congratulations!