It didn’t take long for me to identify the High School Senior Class President.  Wright Chen often popped up in conversations, on stage, and in the newspaper for his accomplishments, poise, and leadership.  Right when I thought he had exceeded all expectations of an accomplished student, Wright was selected to represent Ohio at the United States Senate Youth Program in Washington D.C. last month.  One of only two students chosen from Ohio, Wright participated in a week-long intensive study of the federal government and the people who run it.  I am not sure of the odds, but Class of 2023 Alumna Austin Choi, who piqued his interest with a social media post last year, was selected to participate last year, but that says a lot about our Oakwood students!

Under the responsibility of a military mentor, Captain McGurkin of the Marine Corps, Wright toured congressional offices, the Pentagon, the State Department building, the National Portrait Gallery, Arlington National Cemetery, and Mount Vernon, and he got to see many historical artifacts and documents.

Wright had first-hand experiences in hearing from a wide array of notable leaders, such as the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (“I shook his hand!”), Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Senate Historian Dr. Katherine Scott, Congress Librarian Dr. Carla Hayden, Senate Parliamentarian MacDonough, Secretary of the Senate Anne Berry, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Dr. Richard Spinrad, Justice Department Assistant AG Kristen Clarke, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and some Senators among the 76 that attended the Senate Reception such as Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Catherine Cortez Masto, and John Barasso.

Wright shared his excitement about being surprised to be able to attend a State of the Union Watch Party in the East Wing of the White House.  After the Address, President Biden and the First Lady spoke with the Delegates for about 40 minutes, sharing his advice and experiences.  

Of all of the memories Wright will treasure on this experience, he shared that his most impactful memory was the last night in which his small group members each shared goals they’d reached and fallen short of for the week, what they wished to take from the experience, and how they plan to live their lives.  Wright expressed the emotional and vulnerable state of the new friends he made and said that it would be the longest-lasting memory in his heart, more than anything else.

I want to applaud Wright Chen for taking the leap of faith in submitting his application to not only experience such a transformative experience but also return to share it with his classmates and teachers.