A Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District student has been selected to participate in a statewide leadership conference that promotes the involvement of Hispanic/Latino students in public policy issues.
Daniel Skewes, a J-D High School senior, was selected as a delegate of the 2023 Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PRHYLI)– Syracuse Delegation. Late Assemblyman Ángelo Del Toro, in collaboration with the state Office of Bilingual Education, created the institute to empower high school students of Hispanic/Latino descent.
“I am hoping to grow my leadership and communication skills so that I can be an active part of discussions concerning myself and my community,” Daniel said.
The institute has the following goals for its student delegates:
- Development of leadership skills;
- Creation of opportunities for Hispanic students to interact with positive role models, such as Puerto Rican/Hispanic elected officials, educators and business leaders;
- Creation of partnerships and conversations among educators, business leaders and students; and
- The development of an in-depth knowledge of the state legislative process.
Students participating in the leadership institute take part on three main activities:
- Training in regional delegations: Selected student delegates focus on identification and research of local issues, study of the state’s legislative process, parliamentary procedure and selected bills.
- Participation in a three-day institute: Approximately 200 students from eight regional delegations statewide take part in key activities that include team-building exercises to develop inter-regional relationships, a mock Assembly session, which is conducted in the state Assembly chamber, a student recognition dinner where PR/HYLI scholarship winners and other awards are announced and career development workshops.
- Extension and refinement of leadership skills: student delegates continue to develop leadership skills and put their skills “to practice” when they return home.