This summer, Derrick (DJ) Brown, of Whitehall, and current student at The Swain School in Allentown, will join outstanding elementary school students from across the state to take part in a unique academic and career oriented development experience - the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Pathways to STEM - taking place in Philadelphia.

NYLF Pathways to STEM is one of the Envision by WorldStrides family of programs (envisionexperience.com) that enables students to explore their interests and experience learning beyond the classroom.

DJ was nominated into the NYLF by his fifth-grade science teacher, Ms. Jennifer Mitchell. The NYLF allows students to explore STEM-related subjects to include medicine.

DJ was nominated and ultimately selected for displaying exceptional maturity, scholastic merit and leadership potential. With his growing interest in science and technology, DJ is looking forward to gaining valuable experiences through hands-on activities and networking with scholars also selected for this program. In addition to his academic achievements, DJ is a competitive athlete and superb team player. He plays football, basketball and soccer with local Lehigh Valley teams.

“As an alumna of Envision myself, I am excited for Derrick Brown to meet, work and collaborate with fellow high-aspiring students from other cities and schools,” said Amanda Freitag Thomas, senior vice president for Envision. “Hands down, my favorite part of attending an Envision program was being with motivated students in an environment designed to help us challenge our assumptions, meet new people and grow. Creating that same learning environment is a central focus for all of our programs.

“At NYLF Pathways to STEM, students build the confidence and skills needed to excel in the classroom while gaining exposure to STEM fields and concepts. They learn how to adapt to and communicate in new situations, to new challenges and with new people, which, given how rapidly the world is changing due to technology and innovation, are essential skills for success,” Thomas said.

For more than 35 years, Envision by WorldStrides has empowered extraordinary students to become their best selves through programs that enable them to discover their passions, explore a career and positively impact their world.

In 2018, Envision became part of the WorldStrides family. The largest provider of educational travel and experiences in the U.S., WorldStrides works with more than 50,000 educators each year to help more than 550,000 students see the world and themselves in new ways.