Desert High students selected for Air Force Services Teen Leadership Camp

  • Published
  • By Diane Betzler
  • Staff Writer
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Three Desert High School students have been selected to attend a week-long Air Force Services Teen Leadership Camp in San Antonio, Texas.

The leadership camp is one of 250 Air Force-sponsored camps, but is the first one to offer training in leadership skills.

Sarah Chahine, 15; Raven Summers, 17; and Kasey Kalita, also 15; joined with 66 other aspiring high school students from around the nation who were accepted into the camp.
The camp is designed to help young students gain effective leadership, peer mentorship and team dynamic skills, said Erica Mitchell, youth specialist.

Students who applied to the camp were asked to submit a resume along with a short essay explaining why they want to participate in the training.

All three students from Edwards said they hope to build their leadership skills.

"In addition to building my leadership skills, I believe the training will look good on my college application," said Sarah, who will be entering her sophomore year.

Kasey, who hopes to eventually attend either the University of California at Berkley or the University of California at Santa Barbara, said she's hoping the camp will help her gain more confidence in herself.

Raven, the oldest of the three, will be entering her senior year this fall. "Since I'll be going off to college soon, I want the experience of living in a dorm, and I'll be doing that at the leadership training camp," she said. The teenager said she's looking forward toward making new friends while at camp.

The high school senior believes her participation as an Air Force Junior ROTC member helped get her selected to the Air Force Services Teen Leadership camp. "From my training in the ROTC I've learned when given an opportunity, I can rise to the expectation," she said, clearly considering her participation in the training camp as an opportunity.

Sarah attributes her involvement in the Associated Student Body as a plus for her qualifying for the program and said she expects the training camp experience will help her in the role she plays in the ASB.

The one thing all three teenagers have in common is supportive parents, and they appear to appreciate that. "It's great knowing they'll be there for us," said Raven.
"I'm partly nervous (about her traveling so far) but I'm excited for her," said Raven's mom, Robin Peek.

Sarah's father, Akram Chahine, is also experiencing a bit of apprehension about his daughter going off without him, but said he feels good knowing that Mr. Paul Labella, activity manager for the Teen Center at Edwards, is traveling with the young students.
"We're so proud of them," said Kasey's mom, Judy Kalita.

"It's going to be a great experience for all the girls," said her father, John Kalita.

The three local high school students left for their journey July 12 and expect to have a lot to talk about when they return July 16.

To share in their experiences and to learn what new skills the young girls gained from attending the teen leadership camp, be sure to pick up next week's edition of the Desert Eagle.