2026 HSLP: Day 1

High School Leaders Program Class of 2026
Day 1: Saturday, June 11
Reported by: Riley Abrenio, Meridian High School and Esther Yuan, Grassfield High School 

Today was our first day at the High School Leaders Program. First, we checked in and unpacked in our rooms. We then met our roommates and our peers. Following that, we went on a tour of the UVA campus, and we learned about the history and some super cool facts. Our favorite fact was that when the original library was burning, a science professor tried to save the building by using explosives. Feel free to google it, it’s super funny! Then we returned to our dorms and said goodbye to our wonderful parents! Next, we did an activity on party association and example mission statements for the Democratic and Republican parties. Afterwords, we returned to the dorms for a little to chill out and regroup. For dinner, we had a lovely catered Mediterranean-style meal and watched the World Cup game together. Lastly, we returned to our dorms and got to know our roommates better :) Overall, a wonderful first day, and we cannot wait for the rest!