Last week we announced the two Presidential winners of our “Write to Lead” essay contest, which encouraged Colorado students to voice their thoughts on leadership and the future of our country. We previously introduced Mari Tanabe, a junior at Manitou Springs High School who wrote the essay “Restless for Change.” Now we’d like to introduce our other Presidential Winner, Jared Jolton, an 8th grade student at Colorado Academy, who wrote the essay entitled “In Front of the Pack.” Watch the video below to see Jared accept his award and read a portion of his essay.  We’re sure you’ll be just as inspired as we were.  Enjoy!

We recently sat down with one of our “Write to Lead ” Presidential Winners, Mari Tanabe, an 11th grade student from Manitou Springs High School in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Mari tells us below where she got the inspiration for her essay  and what it’s like to be a winner with “presidential” stature.

Q: What went through your mind when you heard the news that you won the essay contest?

A: I was pretty shocked when I heard that I won the essay contest. I got a phone call right after school in the parking lot. Everything seemed a little unreal, and I didn’t realize what an amazing experience I was being presented with until after I hung up the phone.

“Thank you. I haven’t had a meal that good in a long time.” That’s what Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brien told students in a culinary class at Greeley’s Northridge High School on Friday. O’Brien got a taste of the students’ unique talents while promoting student participation in “Write to Lead,” a youth essay contest organized by the Democratic National Convention Committee, Post-News Educational Services and Qwest Communications.

At a forum with young women leaders from Colorado Springs, Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brien continued her statewide swing today to promote student participation in the “Write to Lead” youth essay contest.

O’Brien met with female students from Carmel Middle School enrolled in the InterCept program, an initiative of the Women’s Resource Agency designed to empower young women to develop leadership and mentoring skills, work toward a positive future and make healthy life choices. O’Brien shared her thoughts on leadership and our country’s future and answered a number of dynamic questions from the young audience.

Students at Summit High School in the snowy, mountain town of Frisco, Colorado received a special visit today from Lieutenant Governor Barbara O’Brien -- the first stop in a statewide swing to promote student participation in “Write to Lead,” a unique opportunity for Colorado youth to become involved in the 2008 Democratic National Convention experience.

We’ve posted a few times on the Write to Lead essay contest for Colorado youth, and it looks like you’ve been reading… and writing!  The essays have already started coming in, and it’s great to see the big ideas that Colorado students have about leadership and the future of our country.  The Boulder Daily Camera recently wrote an article on Patrick Garrett, a Boulder High School junior who penned the very first Write to Lead entry. Take a look at the Camera’s article here.

The deadline for Write to Lead is April 18, so if you haven’t started writing yet, check out the Write to Lead page at DemConvention.com here and watch our video from the launch of the contest here.  Finalists will have the opportunity to serve as ambassadors to state delegations from across the country, and two Presidential Winners will attend the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver – so don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Previously, we posted here about Write to Lead, our new essay contest for Colorado youth. Now we’re back with video from the official kick-off event at East High School in Denver. Click here to watch – and start writing your essay today!

Everyone we meet in Denver is so excited for the Democratic National Convention to come to town. For the younger people in the community, the Convention brings the chance to become involved in the democratic process, even for those too young to vote.

Such an opportunity became available yesterday, when the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) joined with Post-News Educational Services and Qwest Communications at East High School in Denver to unveil the “Write to Lead” youth essay contest and delegation ambassador program. Representatives from each of the partner organizations were joined by Sara Lass and Marlene Smith – two 11th grade student government leaders from East – for the big unveil.