Town Meeting on Tomorrow

Coordinator: Trent Moeller, VP Programs

A Gateway to Leadership

October 18-21, 2008 is the date set for this year's Town Meeting on Tomorrow. Youth leaders with diverse backgrounds from across the nation gather in St. Louis at Washington University for a Town Meeting on Tomorrow. Students are selected across the country to participate in the Youth Salute Programs.

Throughout history, leaders have gathered to discuss problems and potential solutions. They have found that these meetings yielded better results than if they worked on problems alone.

The Town Meeting on Tomorrow was designed to bring youth leaders together in a similar fashion.

During this conference, students:

• Enter into dialogue with proven adult leaders.
• Broaden their horizons by interacting with youth leaders of diverse backgrounds.
• Enhance leadership skills with seminars by dynamic professionals and national political leaders.
• Participate in small group experiential learning opportunities.
• Make new friends from across the nation.

Two awards are presented at Town Meeting on Tomorrow. The male National Youth Leader of the Year is presented a Paul W. Brandel Scholarship and the female National Youth Leader of the Year is presented a Carpenter Family Scholarship. Each winner also receives a sculpture. Ten additional financial scholarships are awarded.

The Jamie Harder Team Spirit award is presented to one member from each team who demonstrates team building, energy with passion and leadership during the conference.

Town Meeting on Tomorrow inspires youth to service, excellence and outstanding performance by reinforcing active leadership as the key to meeting tomorrow's needs.

Two former TMOT participants reflect on their experience with the program.

"Even after almost two years, and an enormous amount of life changes, my experience attending the Town Meeting on Tomorrow in still one of the greatest of my life. I met life-long friends and was able to witness and contribute to the display of power excerpted from the young people that collaborated from all over our nation for those four magnificent days in the fall. I learned attitudes and ideas, shared beliefs and laughter, envisioned dreams and goals, and grew as a leader and a person during my experience. I still draw upon what I learned and remember the people I met on a frequent basis in my life now, as a college student. What Town Meeting on Tomorrow meant to me cannot be justified with words because words cannot always explain the person I have become because of experiences such as the Town Meeting on Tomorrow."

"Now it is time for me to give back. I have made service to others a large part of my life over the past few years. The idea of contributing back to programs, people, and organizations that have shaped me into the person I am today is appealing and natural in my mind. I would love to be a part of providing the nations most powerful young leaders with the same experience I encountered. As the years pass, I am no longer considered a "young person," but a "young adult." This label has assisted me in focusing on the authenticity of the idea that our nations greatest resource is, our young people."

National Council On Youth Leadership