By Town Crier Staff

Francesca Budelli and Nicole Mendez, Los Altos residents and seniors at St. Francis High School, Mountain View, attended the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C., Nov. 5-10.

This leadership development program invites high school students, based on scholastic merit, community involvement and leadership contributions, to interact with today’s national leaders.

Budelli and Mendez, along with other students who attended, were welcomed to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, an honor usually reserved for members of Congress and their guests.

Michael Lasdy, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, said, “We were privileged to gather on election night to witness the results of the hard-working candidates and incumbents. When it comes to Election Day, there’s no better place to be than in the center of American politics.”

Budelli and Mendez also had the opportunity to interact with a panel of renowned journalists from CNN, USA Today, National Public Radio and United Press International, and had the chance to ask questions regarding the changing balance of power in Congress, national and international current events, and advice on how to start a career in journalism.