The National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security (NYLF/NS): Exploring American Diplomacy, Intelligence and Defense provides an intense and stimulating exploration of the field of government service for high school students. This six-day program introduces students to challenging careers in defense, intelligence, the diplomatic corps and more.

Students participate in thought-provoking question and answer sessions with highly respected, internationally recognized civilian policy makers and senior military officers, who provide rich insights into current issues and discuss the strategies that helped them succeed. The government's leading academic institutions also open their doors to our students, where they are educated in diplomacy, international affairs and military strategy. 

During the course of the Forum, students take part in a national security strategy exercise that draws on their program experiences and teamwork. They employ a crisis decision-making process similar to that employed by the nation's top policy makers, giving them an opportunity to use critical thinking, leadership and public speaking skills to tackle the complexity of national decision-making.