The Junior Leadership program in Wilkes-Barre has been on going for nearly 30 years. The first class to graduate with the program under their belt

was the class of 1987-88. In today’s program, five students are selected from each school district in our area, with the requirement of being a Junior. Many students apply in their sophomore year for the opportunity to take part in this program, but not many make it in. This year, our school district has four brilliant young-minds that are taking part. These juniors are Mykaluh Marcy, Carlos Castillo, Madelyn Grills, and John Guszak. The GNA Insider had the pleasure of interviewing these four students.

What motivated you to want to be a part of Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre?

Carlos Castillo – “I wanted to become a leader in my community to make a difference.”

John Guszak – “I knew it would be a very good experience. Also I wanted to be part of something special that can help my future.”

Maddy Grilz – “I thought it would be a great way to involve myself in the community.”

Mykaluh Marcy – “Junior Leadership gave me opportunities to help out my community.”

What have you enjoyed most about Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre?

Carlos Castillo – “Making new friends and petting a pug in a referee uniform at Skyzone.”

John Guszak – “I enjoyed working with my project group.”

Maddy Grilz – “The thing I have enjoyed most about Junior Leadership is meeting new people and learning new things to help me work with other people who have different ideas or opinions.”

Mykaluh Marcy – “I’ve enjoyed meeting the leaders of our community and accomplishing things with my project group.”

What were some of the most memorable activities/events at Junior Leadership?

Carlos Castillo – “Going to Skyzone with the whole class and having a Christmas get-together with my group at Katana.”

John Guszak – “I enjoyed going to Skyzone as one of our meetings.”

Maddy Grilz – “The most memorable event at Junior Leadership was our meeting at Skyzone because there was a puppy in a referee costume.”

Mykaluh Marcy – “The most memorable event was meeting at Penn State with the Junior Leadership class and talking to college advisers about our future.”

If a student is contemplating whether or not to join Junior Leadership, what advice would you give them based on your experiences in the program?

Carlos Castillo – “Just be yourself and make sure you know how to talk to strangers because that’s a big part of Junior Leadership?”

John Guszak – “It will be a great experience and will be a fun experience.”

Maddy Grilz – “I would tell that student to join because it’s a really great experience to get to meet new people and have connections with some community leaders who can help you have other opportunities that other students won’t have.”

Mykaluh Marcy – “I would advise them to join Junior Leadership and take advantage of the great opportunities the program offers.”

How will Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre help you to become a more responsible and productive member of the community?

Carlos Castillo – “Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre teaches you skills on how to be an adult, such as time management, communication, and most of all, leadership.”

John Guszak – “You will have work to work with people you have never met before and do a big project for your community.”

Maddy Grilz – “I am a responsible and productive member of the community because Junior Leadership has taught me things that you need to succeed; such as etiquette, time management, working with a team, and self-awareness.”

Mykaluh Marcy – “Junior Leadership allowed me to become a responsible and productive member of my community while learning skills such as working with a team on a group project, time management, self etiquette, and self awareness.”