While most students see summer vacation as a time to relax and do anything but learn, Woodbury resident Yonit Lax made the most of her summer by volunteering and traveling, which opened her eyes to many new things.

Lax, who will be a senior at Syosset High School next month, attended the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) in Washington D.C. from July 29 through August 8.

"The conference was incredible and it opened my eyes up to what is in our country, what is going on in the world and the different types of people that live around us," said Lax. "I think I was sheltered before this experience."

The leadership development program invites high school students, based on scholastic merit, community involvement and leadership contributions, to interact with national leaders. NYLC scholars work through many issues facing the nation though a series of simulations and meet face-to-face with members of the United States Congress or their staff as well as other influential personalities.

"We did a lot of simulation and made decisions as if we were president or if part of the United Nations," said Lax, who will be applying to colleges this fall and plans to major in international relations. Lax and the other students also had an opportunity to take in the historic sites of Washington D.C. during their visit.

"The National Young Leaders Conference inspires exceptional high school students like Yonit Lax to take leadership initiative, to face challenges head-on and to gain confidence in making positive changes in their communities and throughout the world," said Michael Lasday, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, (CYLC) the organization that sponsors the NYLC. CYLC is a non-profit, non-partisian leadership education organization founded in 1985.

United States Representative John Shimkus of Illinois addressed the NYLC students on Capitol Hill. "You are here at a very interesting time," he said. "The president will be here today to work with congress on the patient bill of rights. But in addition to the president's presence in Washington, there is exciting business being done. Issues on cloning, energy and stem-cell research join the patient bill of rights as priority items for Congress. And many states are redrawing Congressional districts so there is indeed a lot of work to be done both in Washington and at home. To be a leader and a successful elected official, it is important to represent your own ideologies. This places the power in the hands of the people who will elect you if your ideals are shared by those who vote."

At 17-years-old, Lax's resume is quite extensive. She is a member of the French National Honor Society, Art National Honor Society and the Japanese National Honor Society. She is a teen writer for Jewish Week, a weekly national newspaper that includes a section written by teens regarding current events happenings to Jews about four times a year.

Volunteering is also something that has opened Lax's eyes to the world. She has volunteered her time at Rose Valley Home for the elderly disabled, Israel with Refugees of 2000 and is participating at Camp Horseability this week, a riding camp for disabled children. "I am learning a lot from these kids," said Lax.