The college and career singles group from Bible Baptist Church in Oak Harbor recently attended the Leadership Training Institute of America in our nation’s capital, most graduating the course of instruction with honors.

The group of 10 traveled to Washington, D.C., June 19 to 26, staying at the host facilities of the Leadership Institute (unaffiliated with LTIA) in Arlington, Va. LTIA focuses on teaching students the skills of critical thinking, civic involvement, and networking, with an overarching goal of increasing the students’ ability to effectively communicate their worldview when addressing a host of relevant issues.

Graduates from the Oak Harbor church included singles minister Tim Geist, Joel Geist, Alyssa Hower, Joshua Hower, Nicki Kiesel, Carolyn Pivarnik, Levi Rawls, Isaiah Rawls, Kali Waldron and Maggie Waldron.

Aside from the group from Whidbey Island, LTIA students represented six other states from Alaska to Mississippi. While the group had brief opportunities for sight-seeing, with tours of the monuments, capital building, and parts of the Smithsonian, the students had most days filled from sun-up to eye-shut with a variety of lectures, seminars, and briefings throughout the beltway.

Some highlights of the training included a visit with Ambassador Zoran Jolevski at the Macedonian Embassy, and the Washington delegation’s meeting with Senator Maria Cantwell, where several legislative issues were discussed.

Oak Harbor resident Alyssa Hower rated LTIA as “one of the most amazing weeks of my life.  It was certainly life changing! I feel inspired to go out and make a difference.”

The trip to D.C. boosted the group’s sense of patriotism and civic responsibility, just in time to celebrate the nation’s 234th birthday this Independence Day.