Adrionna: My time here at Luminari has given me so many wonderful memories and possible future connections. I remember on the first day thinking that I wouldn’t make many friendships here, but I turned out to be very wrong. After getting to know everyone, I can truly say these are some of the greatest people I have ever met. During events last week, I learned about how to make tough decisions under pressure with the “Noah” crisis in which an asteroid was headed towards earth. I also learned about inclusion, and that you should ask a person what type of help they need. I had the opportunity to meet so many amazing and successful people. From the Second Lady of Pennsylvania to multiple people who made the “30 Under 30 List,” and all of them gave advice that I will take with me everywhere. The DC trip served not only as an amazing opportunity, but also as a chance to further our friendships into something more like family. I am so thankful that I got the chance to meet all of the ambassadors and learn from their experiences. I got to try foods from different cultures and in turn learn more about some of my friends. I could have never imagined how much fun I would have in this camp, and I can’t believe it’s over. I will miss everyone here and I hope to see them all again.
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Anna: Good afternoon, everyone. I’m 16 years old and from here in Pittsburgh. I wanted to take this time to share with you my memories of this program, but the truth is that a one-minute speech could not encompass the experiences I was fortunate enough to get to live. But I’ll try anyway. During this camp, I got to listen to the wisdom and insights of professionals, to learn about the art of diplomacy and what that entails, to eat all sorts of wonderful foods, and to learn about cultures different from my own. I got the opportunity to be curious and to interact with the world around me. I even visited embassies and personally met with ambassadors in DC, which is a privilege that not many can say they’ve had. And for that, I am incredibly thankful. But as important and meaningful as that was, what I’ll remember is the people that I’ve met here, and the moments I’ve shared with them. Every person here is interesting and lovely in their own way, and carries a unique potential. I can only guess at the things that the people in this room will achieve throughout their lifetimes, but I’m happy to have been a part of their stories, at least for a little while. And in closing, I’d like to share with you all my best wishes for the future and all that it holds. Thank you.
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Cate: I’m 16 years old, and if there’s one thing this camp taught me, it’s that ambassadors are normal people. To my surprise, they are not actually robots, like I had originally thought. They enjoy art, music. They take daily walks. They have families, pets, even. They drink diet coke. While meeting the ambassadors has given me insight into what exactly they do, how foreign negotiations work, and if I have exactly what it takes to become a diplomat myself, overall, speaking with and getting to know these officials has convinced me that this career is truly attainable. Something in me always assumed that I’d never be qualified enough, I’d never be smart enough. I never thought I would find myself actually relating to these officials, taking what they said and finding meaning in it, but you know what, I did. And so, this experience has allowed me to explore government careers in a way that no book or article or film ever could. It has inspired me to take the initiative to go out, and get what I want, not what I think is realistic, or practical. And I am forever grateful.
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Nyasha: I’m 14 and I’m from Saint Louis, MO. I remember before I started this program, I didn’t know what to expect, but after, I can happily say it is one if the best learning experiences I’ve ever had. It taught about me about diplomacy, negotiation and better communication skills. This program has also taught me about what life as an ambassador is like. And last, but not least, one of the best parts of the trip was spending it with the people in this room. From day one, I could feel the good vibes. This program was the highlight of my summer, and I would recommend this program to anyone if you have the chance.
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Nyeisha: Hi, I’m 15. I, honestly, really loved this camp because I made so many new friends and met so many inspirational people. The ambassadors were honestly amazing people. I don’t think I’d like to be an ambassador or diplomat, but I can use these skills in another career field. I wish everyone was able to have an opportunity like this. I feel like if everyone had an opportunity like this, we’d have more women diplomats and ambassadors. Diplomacy is important because it helps you complete your specific agenda. Negotiating is also another important skill to learn. It helps you to see both sides of an issue that you are negotiating and to come to an agreement that each side can be happy with. I’m really glad I got to be here and learn about different cultures and new skills.
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Sasha: I am 17 years old and attend Winchester Thurston High School. To say I’m thankful for this Luminari program is an understatement. Not only did I meet some wonderful people that I hope to keep in touch with, but I learned a ton about diplomacy, negotiation, and even myself. I learned that to be a good diplomat, you need to be empathetic. Can someone tell me what being empathetic means? (Audience Participation: “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.”) Right, but we discovered that being empathetic also means being selfless. I mean all the diplomats and ambassadors we met over the last 3 days had to make the tough decision to leave their homes, friends, and sometimes even families, to serve their people’s needs. The guest speakers Luminari brought in last week also taught me that negotiation plays a huge part in everyday life, making it an extremely important skill to master. Finally, Lumanari helped me discover a new potential career path. While I signed up for this camp initially to broaden my knowledge of the world and political affairs, I quickly discovered that the life of an ambassador is thrilling and important work. Not to mention they get to live in DC in quite glamorous houses. Again, I want to say thank you to Luminari for providing me with this wonderful experience, and I know it has helped shape me into a more aware yet curious person.
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Shenne: I’m going to be a junior in Bishop Canevin. When I first started the camp I didn’t know what to expect from it. I thought it was going to be boring at first. Turned out this was the most fun experience of this year so far. The first week was full of meeting new people, especially our guests. Each one of them shared their unique stories, and we all learned something from them.
The first week we learned important skills of communication and negotiation, as well as about different cultures. The Washington D.C. trip was the conclusion of our 7-day long camp. We had an opportunity to meet people we wouldn’t be able to without this camp. So I am very grateful for this camp, and all the people who made it possible.
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Zohaib: Hey everyone. Like me a week ago, many of you probably think diplomacy, ambassadorship and leadership is about technicalities and policy making – but I no longer believe that. This program taught us that these ideas rely on soft skills like negotiation, conflict/resolution, and communication. Learning these skills will benefit me every day for the rest of my life, and for that I will be forever grateful for this camp and the people in it. Thank you so much to everyone who made this possible.
