SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Maria Siow and Maci Hendrix, seventh-graders at Thompson Middle School, have been selected to participate in the People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington, DC in March.

The girls were nominated and accepted for the honor based on outstanding scholastic merit, civic involvement and leadership potential.

Siow is the daughter of Chung and Melanie Siow of Alabaster, and Hendrix is the daughter of Scott and Cindy Hendrix of Alabaster. Both girls are also members of the Thompson Middle School Band. Hendrix is a member of the tennis team and Siow is a member of the Scholar&8217;s Bowl Team.

At the forum, they will earn high school credit by studying leadership and exploring some of the United State&8217;s prominent monuments and institutions.

They will tour Capitol Hill, the Smithsonian Institute, Colonial Williamsburg and the National Museum of American History to see the characteristics of American leadership during times of national challenge and prosperity.

Siow and Hendrix will also participate in small-group discussions and excercises to experience first-hand how leaders develop strategies, make decisions, build consensus and foster change.