As part of National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-8) Anne-Marie Hudani, principal of St. John Fisher School in Rancho Palos Verdes was honored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) for her outstanding efforts in seeking out leadership development opportunities for her students.

Hudani, St. John Fisher's principal since 2002, said the leadership training is important to her student's development because it "helps students become better informed and better citizens. It helps the whole school community because the kids come back more responsible and with a greater understanding of how organizations work."

"It's a great comfort to know that tomorrow's generation of leaders can count on educators like Anne-Marie Hudani to provide them with direction," said Mike Lasday, CYLC executive director. "She understands the need to complement the core curriculum with extracurricular educational experiences."

CYLC provides students leadership education programs and the opportunity to interact with national and international leaders. Founded in 1985, CYLC is "committed to fostering and inspiring young people to achieve their full leadership potential," said Lasday.