Young leader spreads his wings
Soft-spoken 13 year old, Eli Vandivier has big plans for his future. Chosen for the prestigious honor of participating the Envision Junior National Young Leaders Conference in June, Vandivier was nominated by substitute teacher Diana Kuykendall.
Thirteen year old Post Falls Middle School student Eli Vandivier holding his trophy for robotics design at the recent First Lego League competition. Vandivier excells at numerous hobbies and interests and was recently chosen to attend Envision's Junior National Young Leaders Conference in June.
POST FALLS - Eli Vandivier, 13, has already earned many awards and honors during his life. He can add future leader to his resume, as well.
The Post Falls Middle School student will travel to Washington, D.C., in June for the weeklong Envision Junior National Young Leaders conference. He was nominated by substitute science teacher Diana Kuykendall.
Students will practice public speaking, meeting new people, collaborating and team building.
Vandivier wants to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology and become a software engineer. He participates in Boy Scouts as a mentor for younger scouts and is a member of a competitive robotics team.
The first in his district to earn the Boy Scout Super Nova award, Vandivier took his passion for technology and designed a project calculating the time between eruptions of Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful geyser. Using data on past eruptions, he created a plot-map predicting the timing of future eruptions.
Vandivier will join several hundred distinguished middle-schoolers from across the country for six days packed with motivational speakers and leadership development.
Students will take a walking tour of the White House grounds, visit the National Museum of American History, and be privy to an exclusive presentation from former members of Congress.
Amanda Freitag Thomas, an Envision representative, is an alumna of Envision.
"I am excited for Eli to meet, work and collaborate with other high-aspiring students from across the country,” she said. “Hands down, my favorite part of attending an Envision program was being with motivated students in an environment designed to help us challenge our assumptions, meet new people, and grow.”
Past conferences have included speakers like General Colin L. Powell (Ret.), U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Malala Yousafzai. On the final day of the conference, students will discuss ways to make an impact once they return home.
