MARIANAS High School senior Anthony Jacob Camacho Deleon Guerrero, 17, has completed the Youth Leadership Academy of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies in Washington, D.C.
The academy, in partnership with the Close Up Program, provides the nation’s young men and women a first-hand experience of what it’s like to be in the government while learning about issues affecting the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
Deleon Guerrero was the only student who represented the Pacific Island territories in the week-long program that included a tour in and around the nation’s capital.
The participating students deliberated on public policy issues, voiced their opinions to decision-makers and developed skills in public speaking, citizenship, and leadership.
Deleon Guerrero said the program enhanced his understanding of liberty, justice and equality.
He said he and his fellow youth leaders visited memorials, Capitol Hill and other important federal government buildings in Washington, D.C.
They also toured Chinatown, “and what we saw there was very sad,” he added. “I was shocked because it was my first time to see a high number of homeless people loitering around the streets with their carts or tents. The infrastructure in this area was more rundown than where all the memorials are located. It felt like night and day at the same time in this city.”
When asked how he learned about the program, he said his mother forwarded him a flyer. “Just apply, Son,” she told him; “I know you can do it”.
So, he did, and a couple of weeks later, Deleon Guerrero, who is also the secretary of the MHS Student Council, received an email of acceptance to attend the leadership academy on a full scholarship.
He said the youth leadership program “was a great opportunity for me to…see the real world — even if it was just for a week. This program helped me speak up and allowed me to build a stronger voice for issues that are currently affecting the Pacific Island territories like climate change, economic development, the military buildup in the Marianas, etc.”
Deleon Guerrero said he was a 10th grader at Grace Christian Academy and president of his class when he first felt a strong sense of responsibility as a young citizen. “I realized that taking on a leadership role comes with a lot of responsibilities, but in the end it is very rewarding because it all comes down to helping others succeed,” he said.
“I thank God, my family, the [Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies or] APAICS and the Close Up program, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan’s office, and the CNMI Public School System for the support and opportunities such as this one. I am honored to not only represent the CNMI but truly grateful to represent the entire U.S. island territories in this program. I am not sure what the future holds for me, but I do know that with this experience, the APAICS leadership academy has helped me gain a deeper sense of responsibility to do right by the CNMI. These islands are my home. This is where I identify who I am in this world. Therefore, it is my duty to do what I can to help, protect, and preserve the CNMI — the way my forefathers envisioned them…for me, for this generation, and those after me,” Deleon Guerrero said.
Anthony Jacob Deleon Guerrero and his parents, Audie and Alfreda, pay a visit to U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Sablan’s office in Washington, D.C.
Anthony Jacob Deleon Guerrero with fellow Youth Leadership Academy participants at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
