AREA SENIOR ATTENDS LEADERS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON

Jennefer "Ragan" Ward of Cape Girardeau has been selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference this week in Washington DC.

Ward is a senior at Central High School and is the daughter of Dr. Robert and Barbara Ward of Cape Girardeau.

She will among 350 high school students from across the nation at the conference, sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council.

The theme is "The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today." Throughout the six-day conference, which ends Sunday, students will meet with leaders and newsmakers from three branches of government, the media and the diplomatic corps.

Culminating the National Young Leaders Conference is the Mock Congress on gun control. Scholars will assume the roles of U.S. Representatives by debating, lobbying and voting on proposed handgun legislation.

Over 250 members of the U.S. Congress serve as members of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council's Honorary Congressional Board of Advisers.