Foundation hosts youth leadership group visit to Fort Leavenworth

The CGSC Foundation and Fort Leavenworth Public Affairs hosted a group of high school students involved in the Overland Park Rotary Club’s Youth Leadership Institute on July 15.

The program is designed as a five-day, hands-on, fun program for Kansas City area high school students to explore leadership principles, learn about the value of community service and get inspired to act. The group’s visit to Fort Leavenworth afforded them the opportunity to see first-hand the history of the old post and how military leaders are educated at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Foundation President Mike Hockley volunteered the Foundation’s assistance to the Youth Leadership Institute as part of the Foundation’s outreach activities for the College.

The group of 28 students and their rotary club escorts were provided a tour of the post by George Marcec from public affairs and the Combat Studies Institute. Simons Center Director Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ray Barrett then took them on a tour of the Lewis and Clark Center, home of CGSC. As part of their look at the facility, Professor Bill Kuchinski from the Department of Tactics provided them with a classroom demonstration and discussion on the technology and systems used to teach Army officers. Lt. Col. Ryan Strong, director of the U.S. Student Division of CGSC, provided them with an overview of the College mission. The group also toured the Frontier Army Museum during the afternoon.

Possibly the highlight of the day was their visit with CGSC’s Digital Leader Development Center where Mike Dunn got them engaged in hands-on exercises in simulations and gaming activities in which they played roles as part of simulated war games.

Donna Lauffer, a Youth Leadership Institute volunteer with the Overland Park Rotary Club, said the students raved about their day with CGSC and Fort Leavenworth and rated it as the best experience in their program.

Youth Leadership Institute Executive Director Dr. Susan Keim said that in reviewing their day that “almost every student mentioned communication and/or teamwork” as part of their growth from the visit and and that “collectively the students developed a much deeper respect and admiration for the Armed Services than they had before their visit.”

The CGSC Foundation mission includes facilitating group and individual visits such as this to the College as part of it’s outreach efforts. To discuss the possibility of setting up a group visit, contact the CGSC Foundation.