An Edgecomb fourth grader attended the National Youth Leadership Forum June 25-30, at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. Lyla Joyce was nominated by her third grade teacher Michelle Fortin, who saw in Joyce all of the character traits sought by forum organizers. When Fortin received an NYLF application, she knew exactly which student to nominate. “I usually don’t do something like this, but Lyla is an exceptional student. She also has an analytical mind, and she is quiet, which is a trait I see in great leadership.”

The NYLF was created in 1992 and offers a variety of concentrations. ranging from early STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education to students who possess outstanding leadership and character traits. The summer program is  designed to introduce select students to different career paths and help prepare them for college and future jobs. 

The forum had about 120 total students, according to Joyce’s father, Bill Joyce, who accompanied his daughter to the forum. Lyla spent six days with about 18 elementary school students in her group learning about science, technology, engineering and math. One of her lessons included robotics. She built her own robot. “We learned a lot, but the funnest thing was making the robot. We also built an amusement park ride,” she said.

She built a miniature Tilt-A-Whirl using Popsicle sticks, a wooden pole, cardboard and a hot glue gun. She teamed with another forum attendee, a fourth-grader from Connecticut. They chose to build a Tilt–Whirl over a Ferris wheel, roller coaster and tea cup ride. Why? “Because it looked like the easiest to make,” Lyla Joyce said. 

Her honest answer is an example of how she is in the classroom. “That's how she is, but she’s also very thoughtful. She puts a lot of forethought into a problem while working on a solution,” Fortin said. 

Attendees also had lessons in medicine and criminology. They dissected a cow’s heart, but Joyce did not. “My stomach started feeling bad so I missed that one,” she said. She did participate in a fictional crime investigation. A police chief was assaulted, and a perpetrator stole his treasure map. “We had to look at the clues and figure out who did it. I thought the weapon was a knife because it had blood on it, but it was the compass,” she said.

Each session ran from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and learning proved to be hard work. During lunch, attendees ate at a restaurant. Joyce said she had the same meal each day. “I ordered a hamburger and two slices of pizza.”

The forum was a worthwhile experience for her. “I had a lot of fun and I hope I can go again.”