Why Capitol Simulation Changes Teens

SPEAKER_06 0:07

Welcome to the Intersection of Faith and Culture. It's the Wall Boiler Show. Taking on the hot topics of the day from a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective, coming to you from the Idaho State Capitol for Patriot Academy's Leadership Congress here. I think it's our 15th year, maybe 16th year, but the guy I've got sitting next to me probably remembers this. Brady Smith is with me, uh one of our wonderful team members of Patriot Academy, has been part of the Idaho Academy since it started, but initially came to Texas. Brady, thanks for coming on, man. That's right. I haven't been around that long. That long. So we're we're sitting outside the house floor. They got uh a lot of young people in there. Some of them first time, in fact, a lot of them, uh, first time they've done anything like this. And you remember what that was like when you came to Texas. How old were you when you first came to Patriot Academy? 16 years old. 16. How old are you today? Do we want to talk about that? So it was more than 15 years ago. 15 years ago, yeah. You're gonna have grandkids coming to Patriot Academy in some way, but let's get the kids through first. That's the plan. Um, so this is uh it's cool to be here. I I love the Idaho Capitol, first of all, because it's just compact. Everything's nice, it's Marvel's gorgeous, it's just, you know, and the committee rooms are closed. I love this place. Um, but man, we've had a lot of young people come through here and have life-changing experiences. Tell tell our audience a little bit about how Patriot Academy affected you, and then we'll talk about some of these students that are here this year.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Yeah, uh, Patriot Academy, when I first got involved, well, I first heard about it actually early before I was able to attend. And uh I've been writing letters to the editor as just a political nerd. Um, at 13. Yeah, but making church and state arguments between me and and adults who didn't know they were arguing with a kid. And uh I was having fun. Uh my parents were a little panicked, I think, about like what do we do with this? What did we create it? Yeah, Dave Martin's newsletter, we're like, okay, this is where we can kind of point this this energy. So um that's when I first attended at 16, and yeah, just got dumped right into the fire because I showed up late, actually, walked in on my first committee room, uh, committee meeting, and they were like, All right, you're up to present. And I had no idea what I was doing. So um it, but uh, yeah, as soon as I was into it, I was like, This is where I'm supposed to be, this is where it's at. And um, yeah, just been so blessed to be able to be part of it ever since then.

SPEAKER_06 2:10

So a lot of our listeners may have not ever been to a leadership congress or even heard the Bartons and me talk about it on the on the program, totally foreign to them, rather than me explaining it, what is what is a Patriot Academy Leadership Congress?

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Uh leadership congress is the most realistic, simulated legislative session for students 16 to 25 years old. You get to actually come to a state capitol or to the Patriot Academy campus, you get to experience the life of a legislator. So you bring your own bill, you work it through the committee process, you get it on the House floor and debate it back and forth with your fellow legislators, and all the while we train the students in uh biblical worldview, uh, the legislative process, communication skills. That's huge, a huge part of what we do. Um, but yeah, all that from a biblical and a constitutional perspective. And it's a pretty intense week. I mean, we don't give them much time to rest, right?

SPEAKER_06 2:56

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 2:57

They come in, they're like you said, you walk in on committee, boom, you're thrown into the fire.

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Well, and what's awesome too is that it's it's not just us keeping them up, like getting them to do stuff. No, I've I've had uh students, or we've had students who they stay up, you know, until one, two in the morning talking about their bills with their roommates and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_06 3:13

We do always tell them, not to be able to do it. We tell them to go to sleep. Go back to your room because it's gonna be a long day, but they never listen to it. They never listen. Yeah, because it's fun. You know, you're that was one of the other cool things I think that that we created in this 26 years ago was just an environment where you can meet other young people that think about these things. Like you said, you were writing letters at at 13, so you're probably right when you got there, I found my people.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

I found my people, yes, that's exactly what I felt. And like you said, it is fun. I I think I've we've had a lot of people who've come from other programs, so you know, boys state and that sort of thing. And always the reaction is, oh my goodness, I didn't know it could be this fun. Generally speaking, it's it's the sort of thing where it's not just dry politics and policy and that sort of thing, it's an actual how do I apply this to my life.

SPEAKER_06 3:52

Yeah, yeah, no doubt. And and then we see huge changes. You know, I've had students come, you watched it, that were just so shy, never done any kind of public speaking, never gotten up in front of a group, never really had this kind of social environment, and you know, very scared when they came. And first of all, getting over that and having that success. In fact, I had a student in Delaware last week, very similar to that, and it was just so cool to watch her overcome her fears. But then they come back second year and they're now they're kind of bold, now they're very involved, and then third year they're running the show. I mean, that that process is really fun to watch.

SPEAKER_00 4:21

It's incredible, especially since a lot of our our a lot of the students that come, not all of them, we have uh a great mix of deal, but a lot of it's uh a very conservative homeschool type that's listening to to this radio program, and they're you know, maybe even on the sheltered side, and and they just didn't have that exposure. And it's a way to get that exposure and get that experience and get out of your shell in a in a very safe environment with people that are there to mentor you and help you and and grow you. And like you said, as you come back uh second, third year, it's it's a whole different person. It's incredible to see.

SPEAKER_06 4:49

I can't claim your wedding, but we have had 47 weddings out of this thing, too. So it does, you know, you end up meeting that special person sometimes. So I joke with the kids about that a lot, but it's true. 47 weddings, because it is, you know, sometimes hard to find people that share your values and are interested in this kind of stuff. Now, that doesn't mean everybody in this goes into politics, right? Like most of the students they come go into business or ministry or family, whatever it's not politics. They they vote and they're good citizens, but it doesn't become their main focus. You don't have to be political nerds like you and me.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Exactly. And that's one of the cool things about, like I said, we're not just teaching uh politics, we're teaching them the legislative process, but it's it's more of a vehicle for teaching them leadership, which can be applied to any area of life where that whatever you end up doing, and uh not only leadership, but also that communication skill side of things. And no matter what you do, no matter what avenue of life you pursue, you have to learn to communicate, uh, whether it's marriage or kids or whatever. Communication is so key. So these leadership skills that are being taught through the vehicle of the legislative process apply to you no matter what you do.

SPEAKER_06 5:46

It reminds me of our amazing uh executive director for 11 or 12 years, Nathan Bassiasi would always say it's a leadership laboratory. So it's literally like a lab that you're you're putting students into to learn those leadership skills and be owned and sharpened. Yeah. Okay, so let's talk about the the students that are here now. We got uh 16 up to 25, they're on the floor. We can see them through the glass, they're debating bills. I mean, this is the actual Idaho House floor. This is where the real legislature meets every year.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Yeah. And it it's it's just an incredible privilege that we get to do this as state capitals around the country. Uh, Idaho is particularly gracious. Uh they don't they don't have security you know, the doors you can bring in your pocket knife and stuff. It's an amazing capital. Um, but Patriot Academy Leadership Congress, we built a reputation. The the capitals know they can trust us to take good care of it and just gives you a little hint of the the caliber and the quality of the people that the these students that are here. They're the they're the kind of people that you want leading this country. Yeah, yeah, no doubt.

SPEAKER_06 6:40

The the bills, so that the topics that these students bring always it always amazes me. I mean, there's always the typical, I just want to ban abortion or I want to, you know, uh get rid of this tax or whatever. But I mean, we watch these students debate monetary policy, we've watched them debate health care. I mean, they get into some pretty heady stuff that sometimes I'm sitting back going, oop, I need I think I need grok right now.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

Let me look this up really quick. Yeah, no, a hundred percent. And it's cool too, the the different perspectives because a lot of times a student will bring a bill and you're like, I have I didn't even know that was an issue. I didn't know that was something that was, and I I feel like I'm pretty involved in this whole political sphere. And so yeah, getting getting your eyes open to to new stuff is is always really exciting. And again, the caliber of these people, these students, they're they're they're on top of it. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_06 7:24

Well, we've got um, you know, we do six or seven of these uh around the country in the summer are gonna continue to add states. It's opportunity for for people to get involved that that want to make a difference. If they want to send a kid to Patriot Academy, it's Patriot Academy.com. The leadership congress has happened throughout the summer. We still got our big one coming coming up last week of July. This is our last here in Idaho as we sit today. This is our last regional academy, but we'll be at the Patriot Academy campus this summer at the end of July for the National Leadership Congress. So some of these students actually that are here for the first time, we've still got a few slots, Brady. We need to go work on these kiddos and encourage them to see how spontaneous they are. That's what, two weeks they'd have to be they gotta pack fast and uh and raise some scholarship money really really, really quick. Uh in fact, let's just make that the last thing. What would you say to parents about this being a place that that uh that that would be a good place to send their student uh next summer if if this July is obviously too late?

SPEAKER_00 8:11

Yeah, I mean, like I said, I've I've been involved in this for a long time and I've seen so many lives changed, but I speaking from my own perspective, my I would not be where I am today. I would not be who I am today without Patriot Academy. It has literally changed my life, the entire trajectory of my life, give me so many skills, so much confidence, the the network that I've built. I mean, if you want to set your kid up for success, even if they're not interested in politics, like I said, it's for it's for anyone who's going to lead or who should lead, and that's everyone. It's for anyone who's going to communicate, and that's everyone. If if you want to set your kid up for success, I highly recommend Patriot Academy's Leadership Congress. I don't think there's anything better that you could do for your kid during the summer.

SPEAKER_06 8:48

Man, I'm glad we were recording. I'm gonna use that in the future. Brady, that was great. Thank you so much for stepping off the floor and uh man, go whip those students into shape and uh get some of them to come to the nationals. Here we go. That's Brady Smith. Stay with us folks. We'll be right back on the Wall Builder Show.

WallBuilders 250 Years Resource Page

SPEAKER_01 9:03

Hey guys, this is Tim Barton from Wall Builders. I'm gonna let you know about a special landing page we have on the Wall Builders website. If you go to wallbuilders.com, there is a little box that says Wall Builders is celebrating 250 years of American freedom and independence. Click on that little box and it will take you to the landing page for 250 years of America. And on the landing page, there are several different little boxes you can click on. One of them is for events, it will let you know of some major events that are that are coming up that are going on that you can actually come and participate in. You can come here. My dad or I give speeches, telling them the stories about the birth of the nation, about the founding fathers, the faith connection in America. There's also a tab for resources that you can click on, and it will take you to lots of different speeches and sermons and documents and proclamations from the founding era. And then there's also a little tab that will take you to the wall builder store with lots of resources, all the things that maybe a hat you want to wear, a shirt to wear, or other wall builders products to read. This is the place to go to celebrate 250 years.

From Shy Student To Mentor

SPEAKER_06 10:06

Welcome back to the Wall Boiler Show. Thanks for staying with us. We're at the Idaho State Capitol for Patriot Academy's Leadership Congress here, 15th year that we've been here. We do these all over the country in state capitals, and of course, it's for the purpose of training up the next generation. And we've added now the Patriot Institute at the Patriot Academy campus, and one of the students who's been through both Leadership Congress and the Patriot Institute is with me here helping to put on this particular Patriot Academy Leadership Congress. Rebecca Roberts with me. Rebecca, thanks for coming on.

SPEAKER_05 10:32

Absolutely. Thanks, Mr. Rick.

SPEAKER_06 10:33

Well, this is your home state. So we're uh we're back to your home state. You spent a year with us at the at the campus in Constitution City, Texas. And I'm if I remember right, this was your first Capitol to do a leadership congress, right? Yes. Okay, so walk us through our audiences. You know, some of them are familiar with Patriot Academy because they're long-time law boulders listeners. Others never heard of it before. I just had Brady Smith on and he was talking about his experience. So they've they've heard a little bit about how it works. What attracted you to the idea of in the middle of the summer coming and dressing up and spending a few days at the state capitol?

SPEAKER_05 11:02

Well, initially, when I first heard about it, I was interested in simply learning the process and meeting other young people that had similar passions to mine, who were interested in politics from a biblical perspective, and who are interested in learning a more about the founding of our country and really the Christian basis of it. Yeah. But after my first time here and my experience and really getting to know what Patriot Academy Leadership Congresses were, I really became attracted to the community in general and just the absolute passion these people have for excellence and to really learn the process and to pour into one another. And that has simply been an absolutely amazing experience that I have come back for every year.

SPEAKER_06 11:38

How many years now that you've been through the academy?

SPEAKER_05 11:40

This is my fourth year and my fifth academy.

SPEAKER_06 11:41

All right. Okay. So what was the difference between coming to Idaho Capitol and then going to the National Leadership Congress or even then the full year at the Patriot Institute?

SPEAKER_05 11:50

Wildly different experiences, but each so amazing in their own way. With Idaho, what I really appreciate about this regional is it is smaller, but that gives you much more time for one-on-one with your mentees and with talking with leadership, and you really get a lot more time to learn and pour into the other people here and really get to know the process on a much deeper level.

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 12:09

At nationals, where it's much larger. I think this last year we had 140 people there.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 12:13

It was really amazing. But we got to see a much more intense and really get to see, if you will, a more realistic representation because of the huge diverse perspectives and viewpoints that were coming in and just the different angles that were being taken on bills. Yeah. It was it felt very, very real as compared to what I've seen in real life congresses. Yes. And then compared to the one month intensive, which is kind of my stepping stone from Congresses.

SPEAKER_06 12:37

You went from three-day regional to one week national to one month intensive. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 12:41

Just walked up the ladder. But uh it would that was also amazing because we threw in so many other things, which ultimately became part of our one-year program. We threw in some of the more the practical hands-on learning how to run maintenance on vehicles, building things around the campus. That was that was an absolute joy.

SPEAKER_06 12:56

Some real life skills, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 12:57

Yes, along with some of the underlying foundational things that are referenced here, but that we don't have time to get into at the three-day or the one-week congresses, like apologetics and like philosophy and world of view, and more in-depth public speaking communication. And then of course we just expanded on all of that and more at the one year.

SPEAKER_06 13:13

I love it. I love it. Um, you said use the word real several times. What is it like to be in the real Capitol, like on the real floor, in the real committees? I mean, y'all are living the life of a legislator, and thankfully the you know, legislators here in the Capitol have been willing to let let us use their facility. How much more what's that like just to be in those rooms, even?

SPEAKER_05 13:31

It is so amazing. Now, I may be a little bit biased because I am from Idaho, and I have only been to the Idaho Capitol before, but from everybody that I've talked to, and in my personal experience, it is one of the most beautiful state capitals I have ever visited.

SPEAKER_06 13:42

Well, you weren't sitting here a few minutes ago. I said the same thing as a Texan. So you're not wrong. And I was talking about how beautiful your Capitol is.

SPEAKER_05 13:49

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_06 13:50

Honestly, you can go back and listen to the program to know I'm being truthful.

SPEAKER_05 13:53

Perfect. But yes, it's just such an amazing building. It has so much historical weight. We just heard from the president of the Idaho Family Policy Center about a lot of the founding of our Idaho Constitution and Idaho State and a lot of the debates that were held, and just to know the history behind the people that have sat in this room and gone before us and who have passed laws here. That was blame, right? I love listening to him. Amazing presentation. But just to know the weight of history that has been done here and just the the significance of this building, so beautiful. And to know that we're sitting in the same seats where the actual legislators sit is pretty amazing. Pretty cool.

SPEAKER_06 14:27

Okay, that might intimidate some. They may be like, I don't know if I want to be uh, you know, thrown into that mix. Or Brady and Rebecca both are talk about speaking and and communication and that sort of thing. I've never done anything like that. What do you say to uh a young person that's listening right now or parent that's thinking, I don't know, that might be too much for them? Because a lot of students get intimidated because they're not actually here. It's hard to describe everything. Yes. So sometimes it can sound like, wow, I just wouldn't fit into that.

SPEAKER_05 14:50

Yes. Well, my first year when I came out, I was actually 15. So I was a year under the usual age limit. So I was very intimidated.

SPEAKER_06 14:56

I was like, I've been making exceptions for you for a long time.

SPEAKER_05 14:58

Because you have you have indeed.

SPEAKER_06 15:00

Anyway, sorry, go ahead. I didn't mean to interrupt you.

SPEAKER_05 15:02

But I was very, I was already very shy, very intimidated by many of these similar public speaking related things. So I was very intimidated and very afraid that I would be a little bit behind the curve, if you will. However, coming here, and like I said, one of the things I love about the smaller Congress is the intentionality that the senators, the more experienced alumni, the leadership took to bring the freshmen up to speed and to show them around and make sure that they have they know what they're doing and things are very clear. They are very, very intentional about making sure that you can feel as confident as you can. They try to make sure that you know where you're supposed to be, you're staying with your committee, they're guiding you through this process every step of the way. And that is just a really beautiful, amazing thing that I love about Idaho particularly.

SPEAKER_06 15:46

So I I think that's something that people need to get a hold of. When you come to something like this, this is not a this is not a competition where people are going to try to run you down or or defeat you. Absolutely. Even your fellow students are pulling for you. They want you to do better. And of course it's staff, and then and now you see that as one of the mentors that's actually mentoring this next this next group. It's an environment where everybody's wanting you to do well.

SPEAKER_05 16:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 16:06

It's true iron sharpening. I mean, for the purpose of improvement.

SPEAKER_05 16:08

It is a beautiful environment to succeed in and especially to fail in because we are all we're all here with the same thing. We've all been there, we've all had a bill not make it to the floor, we've all been too afraid at some point or forgotten what we were supposed to say, but we've also pulled through, overcame, and now have the amazing opportunity to pour in and to help that next freshman and that next first year representative to overcome those same fears. And it's a really beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_06 16:33

I think I I'm I'm watching you. You're 18 and you're already now on the mentoring side of this, not you're still being mentored by all older students and and staff, but but you're getting to get back. You're getting to coach these younger students as they come in, or even older students that are first timers.

SPEAKER_05 16:48

That I do. It's pretty amazing. In fact, I think my mentee is up there right now giving her house joint resolution to the city.

SPEAKER_06 16:54

So you need to get out of here and get up there and help her.

SPEAKER_05 16:56

Maybe.

SPEAKER_06 16:56

All right.

SPEAKER_05 16:57

But she's done a really good job. So I'm very proud of her and just really blessed to have been able to pour into all these freshmen and young students here.

SPEAKER_06 17:03

Well, Rebecca, we're super proud of you, super excited to have you on the team, and uh look forward to the rest of this leadership Congress. Thanks for taking some time.

SPEAKER_05 17:10

Absolutely. Thanks, Mr. Rick.

SPEAKER_06 17:11

That's Rebecca Roberts. We'll be right back. Quick break. You're listening to the Wall Builder Show.

Stories Of The Declaration Signers

SPEAKER_01 17:18

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Running The Lab And Raising Bar

SPEAKER_06 18:20

Welcome back to the Wall Builder Show. Thanks for staying with us still at the Idaho State Capitol, having one of our best regional leadership congresses we've ever had. Great group of kids, incredible team putting this thing on. I'll tell you what, now that we're doing these all over the country and our schedule's so crazy, and Patriot Academy is doing so much. I have a hard time making it to all these programs, certainly not for the full three days in these regionals. And part of what gives me peace is that we have an amazing Patriot Academy team that puts these on, and our leadership congress coordinators here with us, Janessa Polk, who started here in Idaho. So, Janessa, thank you for coming on the Wild Bullers program.

SPEAKER_04 18:50

Thank you, Mr. Rick. It is a pleasure to be here. This is definitely my favorite leadership congress. Obviously, it's my home state. Plus, it is the most beautiful capital in the country as far as I'm concerned.

SPEAKER_06 18:58

Now, our listeners don't know this, but they uh the you and Rebecca and Brady had no idea the other ones were being interviewed or what they said. And I started the interview with Brady talking about how beautiful the Capitol was. Then Rebecca talked about how beautiful the Capitol was. And that so we're we didn't set this up, listeners, just so you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:13

We're all just trying to drive it home to Rick that the Texas Capitol is the second most beautiful capital.

SPEAKER_06 19:17

Well, it can't go that far. Can't go that far. But you know what's so cool about this one? I was I was mentioning this to Brady and you, as the coordinator, I obviously recognize this. I love the layout. It's so easy to get the students for committee to floor to the auditorium where we're doing it. I just love the city. It's beautiful. Logistics becomes a breeze. Yeah. Okay, now remind me, your first time. Did you come to regional here or nationals? Regional first here in 2021, yes. Okay, so you did start here at the at this capital. Okay, what's it like to have started here as a student and now you're running the leadership congress?

SPEAKER_04 19:45

Oh my gosh. It you see God's hand in everything. It is so full circle. It was especially full circle for me last year because that was the first year I was helping to run as a coordinator for leadership congress. And it was made me emotional more than once to walk in here realizing how much God has done in five years. But it's even more this year because it's now six years since I attended here as a student on the age gap level. I was I was 25 when I was like, that was the last year. And my story with Patriot Academy is everything I got to do with Patriot Academy from that point on was always one step ahead, one more door open, one more last year with Patriot Academy, one more last year with Rachel Academy. And here I am, and I'm here and I love it, and I don't know when it's in, and I hope it doesn't end soon at all. And just knowing that God can take you so far in six years that I have no idea how to guess ahead, just to be excited for the adventure. Um, one of the things Brady talked about in our devotional today is that history plus patience equals faith. And how my story with Patriot Academy is the same way, to rely on the history that God has brought me this far to have patience that one door at a time needed to be opened, not my whole life story be opened at the same time. And truly I have faith in him moving forward because of how he has been faithful to me in the past.

SPEAKER_06 20:56

It's been beautiful to watch for sure, and you become an integral part of the team. A lot of people don't understand why we in the nonprofit world, especially a program like this, we put in so many hours, we work so hard for so little pay. But the reward is what we're getting to watch right now. These students out here on the house floor. Talk about that a little bit. Just the the the privilege and the and the and the joy of watching these young people come in here scared to death sometimes right off the bat, and then at the end, just the joy as they've received their certificate and their torch and all that. Um it's awesome to watch the difference it makes in their lives.

SPEAKER_04 21:25

Well, just even today it's crazy. And even last night, there was a a a freshman student who was on the edge of panic because of the amount of realistic simulation that we have here, and she uh was just trying to work through it in a high stress and getting to talk her off the ledge, as it were, of being stressful and realize that this is a place to learn. It is realistic on purpose. That's by design. But in there, the ability to learn and see God's hand in the learning is so high. And just getting as another student who I just got a chance to encourage him as he's stepping forth and world changing, uh, his organization was built through and inspired by Patreon. Academy, Statesman Youth, and I got to talk with him and he says, Thank you so much for being encouragement. Thank you so much for bringing jet fuel to who I am. And I was like, turning around to him and like this is jet fuel to me. It is as much jet fuel to me as it is to you. Yeah. This is so much more worth. We only have one life to live for Christ. Yeah. And spending it doing mundane nine to five things is not my idea of living my one life for Christ. It is to live for joy. It is to bring that light bulb moment on for students. And I get to do that every single day. I don't care what I get paid. I would honestly work here if I didn't get paid. I really would. I I've learned so much here and getting to pour joy and pour the light bulb, light of Christ into these students and get every opportunity to present the gospel and encourage them and to give them their identity in Christ is my joy. The logistics and the simulation is just a bonus. But we use the process to teach the process. Yeah. And in the middle, we share the gospel every single waking day.

SPEAKER_06 22:53

Brady and I were just talking about the process, really, and the and all of these and kind of the window dressing is what our you know wonderful executive director for years, Nathan Messius, used to say it's a leadership laboratory. And so that's really what all of that just is kind of the it's what gets them here. But then it's it's giving God giving opportunities for moments of inspiration that God gives them and then with each other. I mean, all of those things. So that's kind of why we can deal with I know you and the team got stuck in an airport last weekend. I got stuck in an air. I mean, the travel's been crazy for all of us. It's part of the adventure. Yeah, it's part of the adventure, no sleep, but it's well well worth it to get to see these students. Um, the the the the laboratory that we're talking about here, for people to be able to envision this, I mean, we're on the real house floor right now. These students are using the real microphones. We've got a speaker up there at the at the dais that is using the exact same phrases. It's just like a real session. People often come into our I want to say fake, our simulation, and they say, Wow, the legislators in this state are young because it feels so real. They actually actually think it's the real session going on. How important is that, you think, to their kind of having that epiphany moment. You know what? I can be a leader, I can make a difference, I can impact what's going on. Maybe not become a legislator, but maybe become a legislator. But there's something about sitting in the real chair, using the real microphones, going through this debate that something suddenly the the the switch flips and you go, maybe I could do something like this. Does that make sense? I don't know if that's that was a long question. It wasn't a good setup.

SPEAKER_04 24:15

No, but I know I know what you mean because I've been there, done that. I was a student here first. I walked away after those three days. In fact, it was probably sooner into those three days, 2021, when I came. I walked away thinking, I feel so empowered. I could literally go talk to anybody on the planet. Now that is a little bit of an overachiever, and I'm probably way too optimistic. But I felt that. I felt like I was fully equipped to go literally talk to anybody on the planet and get my point across and at least have a decent conversation without quivering in my boots doing it. Yeah. And being able to not be able to speak or convey an idea. It is extremely empowering. And being here in a professional standpoint where there's high standards, young people, they love it when the bar is raised. So raise the bar, they will meet it. They love it. They really and they don't even know they love it until they have a bar to meet. And then they meet that bar and then they exceed it. For instance, you spoke of our speaker. That's actually my younger brother, my youngest brother that I recruited to get to be here. He is now speaker of the house standing up on that diet right now because I recruited him to say this is an empowering, equipping place where the bar is high. And he ate that up. Even from the professional dress code to the logistics to literally being in this beautiful capital, the bar is high in everything they do and it's with their peers. So it's positive peer pressure all the way. It's positive, powerful peer pressure that leaves you equipped and empowered.

SPEAKER_06 25:33

I love that. That that's actually a good thing to leave it on today because you know, we often say seek discomfort. I've heard a lot of students say you pushed me out of my comfort zone to make me try something and and I improved as a result of it. And really what you're saying to even, you know, the parents that are listening right now, the students that are listening, even if you don't get a chance to come to a leadership congress, raise the bar. Yes. You know, set those, set those high goals. Don't um don't don't sell this generation short. Right.

SPEAKER_04 25:55

You know, they they are, I think God's doing them a disfavor by setting low bars.

SPEAKER_06 25:58

There's a remnant here that is rising if we'll give them the challenge to do so. Janessa Poe, God bless you. Thank you for coming on the Wallboard Show.

SPEAKER_04 26:04

Thank you so much, and I appreciate the interview. This has been a real pleasure. Thank

How To Apply For Nationals

SPEAKER_04 26:07

you.

SPEAKER_06 26:07

All right, folks, go to patriotacademy.com. It's too late to go to any of the regionals this year. Do we have actually Janessa's here? I can ask. Do we have any slots left for nationals?

SPEAKER_04 26:14

We are very, very close to full. We're about to cap it. So if you want to apply for nationals, it needs to be today.

SPEAKER_06 26:19

All right, go to the website right now, patriotacademy.com. National Leadership Congress is the last week of July, July 26th through August 1st. And if not, then next year, we'll start looking at next summer. We'll probably not have those dates up until November or so.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

For nationals, it's always the last week of July, first week of August. Plan for nationals now. You can fundraise.

SPEAKER_06 26:38

Yes, lots of great opportunities. Check it out at PatriotAcademy.com. Thanks so much for listening. You've been listening to the Wall Boaters Show.