The Anti-Defamation League, or ADL for short, has long been the leader in advocating for equality in the United States.  During the week of November 16, 2015, the ADL hosted its annual Grosfeld Family National Youth Leadership Mission which was attended by 132 high school participants from across the United States.  Mount Carmel junior Branimir Ilic was chosen for this conference after being nominated by the Director of Student Activities, Mr. Sean Sweany.

As part of the application process, Ilic was required to respond to only one of four essay prompts, but went ahead and completed all four.  His enthusiastic response guaranteed that he would be chosen for this all inclusive trip to Washington D.C.  Once in D.C., Ilic quickly began to be immersed in the ADL’s mission of erasing all types of bigotry in our modern society.  During his four day stay, he was able to interact with many like-minded individuals who were all focused on a common goal: equality.

Ilic came away from his time in D.C. with a new understanding of leadership. “Leaders need to stand for something, otherwise they will become followers and fall for anything.”  He appreciated the way the moderators of the conference improved his leadership and oratory skills in the short time he was there. Throughout the week, the ADL committee focused heavily on showing them the past in order to succeed in the future.

One of the main features of the conference was a trip to the National Holocaust Museum, where the 132 participants saw the brutality of the 20th century.  This propelled their learning into the 21st century where they discussed how to deal with issues currently plaguing the world.  Ilic said he benefited greatly from the event and now “understands what it means to lead.”  He flew home Thursday morning with a mind full of new ideas and reported directly to Mount Carmel, without even returning home, ready to make a difference.