Forum gives student capital gains

Darleene Barrientos

A trip to Washington, D.C., to attend a youth leadership forum on

medicine cost Meagan Decker and her family nearly $3,000.

But the memories and the experiences the 16-year-old La Crescenta

girl got in exchange are priceless.

“It was really expensive, but it was totally worth it,” Meagan

said. “I had such a good time. I would do it again.”

A student at Immaculate Heart High School, a Los Angeles- based

private school for girls, Meagan always had medicine in mind when it

came to choosing a career, especially since her mother, Margaret, is

a nurse.

The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine introduced Meagan

and 350 high school students from around the country to public health

issues, medical ethics, research and general practice. Students heard

from a variety of lecturers, health advocates and medical students.

Meagan enjoyed a lecture from Ross Szabo, the director of the

National Mental Health Awareness campaign and the medical school

classes she attended. But the experience was somewhat redundant for

Meagan, who has been around medicine for a long time, thanks to her

mother.

Still, the trip was well worth it considering all the friends she

made at the conference, which was from July 3 to 12. Meagan still laughs hysterically when recalling funny pranks during her long

nights at Georgetown, where the students stayed in dorms.

Hearing her daughter recount all the details of the trip is still

amusing for Margaret Decker.

“We had frequent phone calls,” she said. “She once called me to

tell me she was in the pathology lab and touching brains one night.

Another night, she called me to tell me she was going to sew up

bananas the next day.”

Decker said she told her colleagues about the practice surgery on

the banana.

“One doctor said, ‘Well, tell her the banana doesn’t generally do

very well,’ ” she said, laughing.

Jennifer Conklin, Meagan’s former English honors teacher,

nominated her for the chance to participate in the conference.

“Meagan’s a great kid, very lively and very bright,” Conklin said.

“I think she would thrive [in that type of environment] ... I think

anytime a student goes away from their home and learns on their own,

it’s a wonderful experience.”