Rathdrum students Jessica Millard and Samuel Williams already have a world leadership feather for their cap.

The 12-year-olds recently returned from Washington, D.C., where they attended a People to People World Leadership Forum along with fellow delegates from around the world.

Millard is an eighth-grader at North Idaho STEM Charter Academy. Williams is a seventh-grader at Lakeland Junior High.

The pair was nominated to participate in the forum by former teacher Robin Lenz in 2012 while they were students at Garwood Elementary.

Millard and Williams learned about leadership and how iconic leaders throughout history have handled world events.

Various hands-on activities, professional speakers, workshops and visits to memorials, museums and monuments gave them a new perspective on the importance and need for informed world leaders.

They went to Philadelphia and New York as well during the eight-day trip.

"It helped us connect to what we have studied in history class," said Millard. "I felt a lot of emotion when I visited the different memorials."