When I first showed up at the Maharishi School in 2004, I don't think anyone anticipated what a huge part of the school I would become. And five years later, I can still say that transferring to Maharishi was the best decision I ever made.

During my time there I was equipped with knowledge that I will continue to use for the rest of my life- and I'm not just talking about long division. It was there that I uncovered my talent and love for writing, became much more confident, and made many new friends.
In September last year I discovered that I had even more to thank my teachers at Maharishi for. I was nominated to participate in the People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington D.C.
People to People is a non-profit organization founded in 1956 by President Eisenhower. It was based on his belief that the actions of one generation have the potential to affect many following generations. It was his dream to have people realize that while we are all very different, our values, goals, and desire for life are very much the same. In a world made up of friends, there would be no need for war.
During my week in Washington, I met many amazing people and visited some very historically important places, such as the Library of Congress, the Gettysburg cemetery, Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, The White House, The International Spy Museum, and the 9/11 Memorial. The war memorials in particular were places where we learned a lot about the importance of leadership and co-operation, and the devastating affect that war has.
We also had the incredible opportunity to meet Sean Covey, the author of 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens' - an excellent book which I have read at least eight times. In his talk, he told us that the choices we make in our teenage years will affect the rest of our lives, and that you are never too young to achieve your dreams.
Overall, I"m very glad to have gone, as it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I was very fortunate to have. And though the forum only lasted a week, the memories will last a lifetime.
Kareena Dhaliwal, Maharishi School Graduate.