Latest news with #HeresToYouKid!
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Student going to D.C. for National Youth Leadership Forum
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A local 14-year-old ninth grader is about to take her education from northeastern Pennsylvania to our nation's capital. She will join other teens from across the country for a rare opportunity to learn about national security. West Scranton High School freshman Cailyn Manley is just months away from embarking on quite an educational experience. She has been chosen to participate in the national youth leadership forum on national security in Washington, D.C. 'I got a letter in the mail saying that somebody had nominated me to go. I don't know who, but it was an awesome gesture,' explained Cailyn. Cailyn is the only high school student nominated from more than 1,500 ninth through 12th graders in the Scranton School District. High school student graduating with two degrees 'I'm just honored to even be nominated for it because it's a huge deal so it's just amazing to be thought of for it,' added Cailyn. Cailyn will join other high school students nationwide to learn how America monitors potential threats, prepares for crisis, and plans for peace. 'National security is already very interesting to me, especially because some of my family members have served in the US Army and the Navy. So, getting this has just been great,' Cailyn explained. Stephanie Vasquez is Cailyn's English teacher who offers insight into what Cailyn will experience this summer. 'Our foreign attachés, our people who work, whether they are in the military or outside of the military, working in the Pentagon, in civil service, department of state. There's so much at so many different levels, and this program exposes them to so many different levels,' said Vazquez. What made Cailyn a good candidate for the opportunity in the first place is what she manages to achieve in and out of the classroom. Not only is she an honor student, but also a member of the school's basketball and track and field teams. Cailyn is on the right path to success and inspiring others every step of the way. 'I think she set the bar not just for freshmen but she set it for everyone in front of her and everyone who is coming after her, too. She's really setting that bar and that's really what we want to see. You know, start setting that bar not in your last year but start setting as soon as you go and keep raising that bar even higher and that's what she does every day,' Vasquez added. It will cost Cailyn roughly $5,000 to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum. She says she and her family are brainstorming on how to cover the cost. Here's to you, Cailyn. If you have a kid you think should be featured on Heres To You Kid!, send in a nomination online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
11-year-old making her way to Carnegie Hall
DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It is not just anyone who can say they played at New York City's Carnegie Hall, but an 11-year-old Dunmore girl is about to add her name to the list. Her journey to perform at the acclaimed venue has been years in the making. The arts are everything for Reilly Urbina. She acts, sings, and plays the piano. Eagle Scout dedicating time to uplift others In fact, the sixth-grade straight 'A' student at Dunmore Elementary Center has been playing ever since she began taking piano lessons when she was five years old. 'I just started playing a bunch of random notes and I'm just like 'Oh, I can really play this.' I'm pretty good at this so I worked harder so that I could get into harder songs,' said exclaimed Reilly. Reilly's mom says she knew that her daughter had a knack for music at a very young age. 'When Reilly was two, she came out singing. She wasn't even talking yet, right. She wasn't even, like, saying sentences. She was obsessed with Broadway music. I mean, she was singing 'Rent' at age three,' said Katie Urbina, Reilly's Mom. Reilly's singing became known quickly throughout the Dunmore community. 'My math teacher in 5th grade asked me if I could sing at one of the events so I'm like yeah, sure. And they heard me sing. Almost everyone cried,' said Reilly. She had the honor of singing the national anthem at a recent Dunmore Girl's High School basketball game. Another honor awaits Reilly, a piano performance in New York City. 'So I'm really glad that hard work paid off to get into Carnegie,' said Reilly. She performed the song, 'The Wild West' by Timothy Brown at her formal audition in January and was accepted to play at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in March. It took dedication and hard work to make the cut. 'I had to go to practice once a week, like, every time. And then we'd usually play about two phrases like per note,' explained Reilly. Whether she's playing for personal enjoyment, or performing for a crowd, Reilly is proof that having passion, persistence, and talent can pay off. 'She is so enthusiastic about doing things other than what she should be doing right. So, doing good in school and being kind and being a good person in society so all these extra things are just extra gifts,' said Katie Urbina. Reilly will play Carnegie Hall in March. Looking to the future, she would like to be a pediatrician or perhaps an actress when she grows up. Here's to you, Reilly. If you have a kid you think should be featured on Heres To You Kid!, send in a nomination online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
