Fennville High School Junior and member of the Hope College TRIO Upward Bound, Renato Recillas, was selected to participate in the Council for Opportunity in Education’s (COE) National Student Leadership Congress in Washington D.C. this summer. This experience is open to first-generation high school students that are a part of a TRIO program with the purpose of establishing a national network of emerging leaders, all while providing a transformational experience that will develop service-oriented leaders to serve their local communities. Highlights of this event include: a mock Congress exposure to Washington D.C. and a day on Capitol Hill with members of Congress and their staff.

To be accepted in this prestigious nation-wide program, Renato had to submit an application that included numerous essays, letters of recommendations, transcripts, and a leadership inventory on ways he has served his greater community. After waiting a month, Renato heard back his acceptance. “The email was sent at 11:59pm, so I woke up to reading that I was accepted and was in shock. Once the initial shock wore off, I was flooded with lots of emotions from excited (about the opportunity to go to D.C.) to nervous (about meeting the high expectations of working with such great students from around the country.)” Of the thousands of students applying, Renato will be one of around 200 that will participate and is the first student from the TRIO Hope College Upward Bound to be accepted. Andrea Mireles, Director of TRIO Upward Bound at Hope College said that Renato possesses a genuine desire to learn and has strong communication and interpersonal skills will help maximize his leadership abilities through participation in the great program.