Empty Nest :: The Preview

Got a glimpse of sending Carter off to college today... And I didn't like it.

We left our hotel in Kentucky by 8:30 local time (EST) and headed northwest to Chicago. Well, to home, but first a stop in Chicago.

Registration for the "National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Careers in Engineering & Technology" program was at 1 p.m. local time (CST). Got there in time. Got him registered. Got him into his dorm room. Met his roommate Ameer (not sure of spelling) and his parents. Then said goodbye.

It was all done and over with too quickly to get emotional. I know Carter was thinking there wouldn't be girls here (why wouldn't they be as smart as boys??), but it was definitely a CO-ED dorm! No wonder there was no tearful goodbye (from him anyway) or any scrapbook photos allowed!



Here's the official press release about his upcoming week...

Students to Take Part in National Program on Engineering & Technology

Washington, D.C. – Outstanding high school students from across the nation will take part in a unique career development opportunity, the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): Careers in Engineering & Technology, an Envision program. The eight-day, intensive program challenges scholars to become leaders of engineering and technology innovation in the 21st
century.

The forum’s 2014 sessions will be held on the campuses of universities that are recognized for excellence in engineering and technology: the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Boston, Mass.), the University of California, Berkeley (San Francisco, Calif.), Georgia Tech (Atlanta, Ga.) and Loyola University (Chicago, Ill.).

At the National Youth Leadership Forum on Engineering & Technology, students will have the opportunity to explore college and career opportunities and get firsthand experience putting applied knowledge to the test by participating in the program’s interactive curriculum. Students will explore emerging fields such as sustainable design, 3-D modeling, Web, game and application development, robotics, electrical engineering and much more.

Many of the students who attend the conference are nominated by teachers and guidance counselors based on their leadership potential and interest in engineering and technology fields.

“This is a significant step into the future for students with a passion for innovation,” said Jan A. Sikorsky, Ph.D., the vice president of education for NYLF Engineering & Technology. “Exposure to real-world applications provide today’s students with a significant competitive edge in these ever-changing fields.”

For more information about National Youth Leadership Forum on Engineering & Technology, visit
www.envisionexperience.com/Tech.


Naturally, we'd love if he'd come home next Sunday with an idea of what he wants to be when he grows up. But did any of us know at age 16? And how many of us changed our minds later anyway? It will nice if we at least have inking so we know what schools to start touring this next school years. Yup. Time IS flying that quickly!

This week will be a preview of our life as empty nesters, but not necessarily a typical one. Can't take time off to golf or do anything fun with hubby since the Iola Car Show is this week and I have a ton of work to do for it. So I'll be busy and, in a twisted way, grateful I won't have to rush home from work to get to any ball games.

Will just seem quiet, though, after a fun-filled road trip with our friends this weekend. No more teenagers picking on each other in the back, back seat of the van. No more sports talk in the middle, back seat. No more girl talk in the front. (Well, that will continue on a regular basis as always!)

Am missing my baby already, though. This will be early training for us to handle the empty nest and for Carter to get into the habit of calling or texting us every day.

We'll see what grade he earns in that category!