FOLEY, Ala. — There will likely be plenty of graduations and landmark events ahead for Ronald Shoots Jr., but the Foley Middle School seventh grader just recently experienced one of those when he completed a week at the 2008 World Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C. sponsored by People to People International of Kansas City, Mo.

In graduating from the Forum, Ronald, 12, participated in a program started more than 50 years ago by President Dwight Eisenhower. Every U.S. president since has served as an honorary chairman of People to People, whose goals are developing self-confidence and leadership skills in youth and preparing them to be global citizens.

Earlier this month, on Oct. 11, Mayor John Koniar of Foley read a proclamation at the city council meeting recognizing Ronald’s accomplishment toward good leadership and citizenship.

Ronald’s parents, Ronald Sr. and Linda Shoots of South Maple Street were on hand with him for the reading of the proclamation. Ronald’s brother, Nicholas, 9, was also present.

Ronald took the whole thing in stride; shy is what Linda said of her son, but Ronald’s People to People essay is proof that the young man quickly warms to words.

FMS teacher Janice Osborne nominated Ronald for the People to People World Leadership Forum when he was in sixth grade. Referring to his teacher, Ronald said in the essay, “She taught me a lot about character, about being honest and having the right conduct and behavior, to be a great leader to myself and others.

“Also to have good communication with myself and other people. Having communication skills give you good opportunity to understand ideas clearly about my school subjects and generally everyday life itself.”

School subjects have been one of Ronald’s strong points.

“He’s been an accelerated student - A-B honor roll - since he’s been in school. He loves to read,” Linda said of her son. She adds that Nicholas is also an accelerated student.

The World Leadership Forum was held Sept. 8-15. Ronald and other students from across the country visited such places as Capitol Hill, Jamestown Settlement, Colonial Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Arlington National Cemetery, President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite, the World War II Memorial, and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Interspersed among the trips were leadership meetings and addresses on subjects such as the tools and techniques to personal success.

“I did have worries about the trip, but Ronald did okay,” Linda said.

“I was worried about the airplane ride. He called every night and talked to us for a few minutes.”

By successfully graduating from the World Leadership Forum, Ronald has earned some high school credit through the Washington School of World Studies.

Linda calls her son’s experience a “once in a lifetime trip.”

Ronald has already had an essay published, that in the 2005 edition of the Anthology of Short Stories by Young Americans, volume XXV, published by the Anthology of Poetry Inc.

Ronald was 8 when he wrote “Bubba My Hero,” about local motorcycle daredevil Bubba Blackwell, who went to school with “my daddy Ronald F. Shoots Sr.”

In that essay Ronald writes this: “For example, the Bubba Blackwell jump February 26, 2005, helped raise money for the high school he once attended. That is why Bubba is considered my All-American hero in the world.”

The Shoots family are members at Little Rock Baptist Church, which helped make Ronald Jr.’s trip to Washington possible. Ronald is a junior usher at the church.

Ronald Sr. has been employed at Vulcan Signs in Foley for approximately 15 years.