Colt Lipe, 11, was nominated by his Eugene Ware Elementary School Fifth-grade Teacher Abby Steppes to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum in Colorado this week.
“They are nominated for being a good role model and having leadership skills,” Steppes said of the nomination.
The forum is the Pathways to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Program by Envision LLC.
Envision is a for-profit, tuition-based education company that creates, markets, and runs career exploration and leadership development programs for students in elementary school through college, according to its website.
“What an opportunity for him,” said his mother Tina Lipe.
Colt’s father is David Lipe. The Lipe’s own both Sharkey’s Pub and Luther’s BBQ Restaurants in Fort Scott.
At the forum, Colt will learn the leadership skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and goal setting.
In addition, he will explore crime-solving skills, face a design challenge in engineering, and as a prospective medical student explore the anatomy of the heart and lungs and examine the medical needs of a patient then present a plan of care.
“Kids this age are figuring out who they are and what their passions are,” Steppes said.
Steppes said flyers are sent out to teachers nationwide for teachers to nominate students.
“The hard part is it costs money,” Steppes said. “There are grants for money you can apply for or do fund-raising.”