COSTA MESA : ‘Young Leader’ Will Meet Bigwigs of D.C.

Richard Plascencia takes off Saturday for Washington.

While his friends cruise the beach back home, the Estancia High School senior will spend nearly two weeks hanging out with senators, media bigwigs and senior government officials.

Plascencia was chosen by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council to participate in a National Young Leaders Conference. He is one of 300 students nationwide who will descend on the capital for 10 days of conflict resolution, debating and coalition building.

“The conference provides the opportunity for students, like Richard, to distinguish themselves as tomorrow’s leaders,” said John Hines, council executive director.

Annually, more than 7,000 youths nationwide participate in one of 22 sessions of the National Young Leaders Conference held throughout the year. The leadership council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization that boasts more than 300 congressional representatives as members of their Honorary Congressional Board of Advisers.

Plascencia was chosen because of his academic standing--he earned a 4.0 grade-point average last semester--and other leadership qualities. Besides hitting the books, he spends a lot of his time outdoors, riding mountain bikes, fishing and surfing. He has played many sports, including water polo and volleyball, and is active in his church.

While he isn’t all that sure about what his favorite subjects are--although math and science rank pretty high--he does know what he doesn’t like. “Definitely not English,” he said.

It is the soft-spoken senior’s first trip to the East Coast and he is a little nervous about venturing out alone. He admitted he isn’t used to all the attention.

But it will be worth it, he agreed.

“I am really looking forward to seeing the different sights,” Plascencia said. “I just thought it was a good opportunity to see how government really works.”

Even before setting foot in Washington, Plascencia seemed ready for a leadership role. During a recent trip to the beach, he helped save a little girl, who was swept up in turbulent surf.

“She was underwater for a while,” he recalled. “Finally, I looked and saw the top of her head. We got knocked over by the surf, but we got out. She was crying. She was scared. And so was I.”

After graduating from Estancia, Plascencia plans to enroll at Orange Coast College before transferring to a four-year college. He isn’t sure what career he wants to pursue, although there is one thing he has ruled out: being a lifeguard.

“It is, what you might say, not my cup of tea,” he said.