Hanks Collin Hanks, an 11th grader at The Brook Hill School in Bullard, has been selected to attend the 2008 Congressional Student Leadership Conference on Global Business & Entrepreneurship, sponsored by LeadAmerica.

The CSLC is a collegeaccredited invitational leadership program for academically talented and promising young leaders from across the United States and internationally.

Collin will join other exceptional high school students with records of academic achievement and extracurricular or community involvement who are invited to participate.

The CSLC on Global Business & Entrepreneurship is a 10-day leadership program in which students learn to build and operate a business.

From developing a product concept to analyzing the competitive landscape, students learn what it takes to ensure success.

In a hands-on learning environment, Collin and fellow students will develop and execute a full-scale business plan and "sell" their idea.

They will learn and practice important leadership skills such as creative thinking, negotiation and public speaking.

LeadAmerica is the nation's premier youth leadership organization.

With a commitment to providing quality leadership education, LeadAmerica empowers teenage leaders and instills in them ethical and principled leadership values, attitudes and skills.

Each of its high school conferences is college-accredited and its programs are approved activities of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

This year's Global Business & Entrepreneurship conference will be held in New York at the campuses of Columbia University, Fordham University, and Pace University.

Collin will have the opportunity to earn two college credits from this conference.