IT will be a meeting of the minds this week for a Warwick Academy graduate who is participating in a global conference of the world's top students in Washington, DC.

Allan Steynor, 17, who graduated from Warwick Academy last month is attending the Global Young Leaders Conference in Washington and New York City until next Thursday. The conference is arranged by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council 2003.

"The whole family is so proud of him and all his accomplishments. We all really support him in all his hard work," Mr. Steynor's grandmother, Marjorie Steynor, said on Tuesday. "He is going to the United World College in South Wales in September."

At the annual conference, 350 of the world's young leaders explore aspects of the global political atmosphere and learn about world leadership opportunities.

The programme's curriculum is carefully designed to suit the selected student leaders. And the conference isn't meant to be a pleasure trip. The conference schedule allows for virtually no down time, with most days beginning before sunrise and ending long after dark.

"Allan has called home and said he is tired every night when he finishes," said Mrs. Steynor.

Allan Steynor will meet powerful figures in politics, culture, media and finance to learn the intricacies of leadership. He will also engage in several situational simulations that are designed to build leadership skills. Students will also be briefed at the United States Department of State, visit various Wall Street financial institutions and witness an address at the United Nations.

The programme will culminate with a 'Global Summit' where Allan and other students learn to use all the skills that he has developed through the programme to debate issues such as foreign aid, global warming, co-operative efforts in space, terrorism and human rights.

The Congressional Youth Leadership Council holds a similar gathering of top US students. There are more than 400 members of the US Congress serving as advisers to the council, many of whom attend the conferences.