Culver City resident and Marymount High School student Christine Alcantar represented the future of our nation at the Global Young Leaders Conference (GYLC) June 18 - 29, in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Alcantar, who has played varsity soccer since she was a freshman and was in AYSO for the last nine years, was among 350 outstanding scholars to attend the conference, which explored international politics, finance, culture and diplomacy with key world leaders and newsmakers.
The GYLC is a leadership development program for high school students from around the world who have demonstrated leadership potential and strong scholastic skills."The Global Young Leaders Conference challenges exceptional students like Christine Alcantar to tackle global issues in a collective effort to provide responsible leadership and conflict resolution," said Michael Lasday, executive director of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC), the organization that sponsors the GYLC. "Students overcome cultural barriers and walk away from this experience with a better understanding of one another — their peers and future colleagues — which may prove invaluable to the future of the global community."
Ms. Hafsat Abiola, director of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) welcomed the students to Washington, D.C. and set the tone of the conference in the opening address. Abiola, 24, has been familiar with pain and torment first-hand in the struggle for democracy in her homeland, Nigeria, where her parents fell prey to political persecution.
"My father was elected president of Nigeria in 1993, but was never allowed to serve our nation," she told the students. "He was seized by military leaders and jailed. My mother became an activist for democracy in Nigeria and lobbied for my father's release. She was assassinated for her efforts in 1996 and soon after, my father died in prison," Abiola said. "It is this pain of loss I carry with me that fires my motivation to continue the legacy of my parents. The future of democracy in Nigeria and the entire world depends on the education of young people. For it is in them that our future lies."
Alcantar explored international law, human rights diplomacy and national security as it is addressed in the United States, when she visited the U.S. Department of State and various embassies, including Brazil, Cyprus, Egypt, New Zealand, Switzerland and others.
GYLC culminated in the Global Summit, in which students assumed roles of world leaders in an international crisis simulation, which took place at the United Nations.
Culver City Toastmasters
Celebrate 20th Anniversary
Since 1980, members of Toastmaster Club #4211,
(Culver City Toastmasters) have been creating a supportive environment in which they can assist each other in polishing their speech presentation skills.
On Tuesday, July 18, current members, dignitaries and others gathered at Veterans’ Auditorium to celebrate that very fact. Comments from Joel Forman, the club’s longest-time Toastmaster in attendance, underscored what it had all been about. "Remember, you’re going to be speaking for the rest of your life," Forman told those gathered. "Toastmasters helps you do it with style and grace."
There to help members honor the event were Mayor David Hauptman and his wife, Diane. Hauptman presented outgoing club President Marie Preyer with an official proclamation noting the club’s "20 years of achieving excellence." Also attending was Culver City Chamber of Commerce President Bob Duitsman, who is a club member. The guest roster also featured area dignitaries from the Toastmaster organization, most of whom shared their speaking talents with the attendees. Among these accomplished orators were Toastmaster Area C Governor Glenda Brass, International Director Marsha Davis, and officers Glen E. Davis and Gregory Scott. Don Johnson, who earned the distinction of presenting the best Toastmaster speech in the world in 1989, led members in an impromptu presentation exercise called Table Topics.
Incoming President Norman Riggs told of his early days in the club, when it was known as Libertarian Toastmasters. He said he learned that the club had originally been set up to help Libertarian candidates prepare for the campaign trail. That mission was dropped when the club changed its name to Culver City Toastmasters many years ago.
There are over 8,500 Toastmaster clubs around the world. For its active role, Culver City Toastmasters has been named a Presidential Select Distinguished Club. Weekly meetings are held every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Kaizuka Room of the Veterans’ Auditorium, 4117 Overland Ave. Guests are welcome to attend for free.
For more information, including membership, call (310) 553-9355.
Council Commends Brotman Executives
The City Council commended Sonja Hagel, chief executive officer of Brotman Medical Center, and Steve McNamar, chief financial officer, for being selected as the company’s 2000 Circle of Excellence winners. the proclamation was give to Hagel and McNamar at last Monday’s city council meeting.
The Circle of Excellence award, which has been given annually for the past 13 years, recognizes outstanding performance and leadership by Tenet’s hospital CEOs during the
past year. Brotman Medical Center is owned by Tenet Healthcare
"Sonja has demonstrated conclusively that it is, indeed, possible to succeed in the face of tough competition and a challenging reimbursement environment," said Jeffrey C. Barbakow, Tenet’s chairman and chief executive officer. "The fact that she was able to exceed her goals and focus hospital growth on important community services is an inspiration to her colleagues at Tenet and throughout the health care industry. It gives me great pleasure to welcome her to the Circle of Excellence."
McNamara has more than 13 years experience in the healthcare industry and has been with Tenet Healthcare for seven years. He is a native of Los Angeles and a graduate of the California State University at Los Angeles.
Candidates for this award are nominated by Tenet’s divisional and regional management. Winners are selected based on both objective criteria, such as patient and employee satisfaction, and subjective evaluations.
Photo: (l to r) Brotman CFO Steve McNamar and CEO Sonja Hagel