DEMOPOLIS &045; Josh Tyson has been invited to attend the 2007 People to People World Leadership Forum that will be held in Washington, D.C.

Tyson, 11, was nominated for the program by his teacher, Dana Hill, at U.S. Jones Elementary. Teachers are asked by the organization to nominate students based on outstanding scholastic merit, civic involvement and leadership potential.

The program invites students to its event that maintain a high academic standing and exhibit promising leadership potential. Students must be nominated to the program by their teachers, and applications are then screened through a highly selective process.

The program allows participants to interact though small-group discussions and exercises designed to allow the children first-hand experience of how successful leaders develop strategies, make decisions, build consensus and foster change. While studying leadership and exploring prominent monuments and institutions in Washington, D.C., Tyson will also be able to earn high school credit through the program.

The program does ask the students participating to pay for transportation and other fees involved with the event. Tyson’s mother, Nancy Tyson, said he will be working towards raising money for the trip planned for Oct. 1-7.

Mrs. Tyson said her son has already planned a fund-raiser for Valentines Day. She said two $100 gift baskets, one for a man and one for a woman, were donated to him, and he will sell raffle tickets at U.S. Jones and the high school for the baskets to raise funds.

The People to People program was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to help foster understanding in the leaders of the younger generation. Eisenhower thought that peace can only be achieved through understanding and that the program would be a way to build a foundation for peace.