Alexandria Student Selected for Global Leadership Program Hosted by General Tommy Franks Institute

This July, David De Costa, an accomplished high school student from Northern Virginia, was selected to participate in the prestigious Four Star Leadership Program, hosted by the General Tommy Franks Institute in Oklahoma City. The program took place July 13–18, 2025, on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma.

David was among just 76 high school students chosen globally—and the only representative from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland—to take part in the intensive leadership experience. The program is designed to cultivate the next generation of principled leaders through training in civic responsibility, ethical decision-making, and strategic communication.

Throughout the week, participants engaged in a range of immersive activities, including a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. There, they reflected on the events of April 19, 1995, and the emergence of the “Oklahoma Standard,” a powerful ethos of resilience, compassion, and service. The students also toured the Oklahoma State Capitol and met with lawmakers and representatives from Oklahoma’s Tribal Nations, deepening their understanding of cultural heritage and its influence on American democracy.

General Tommy Franks commanded U.S. and Coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. A highly decorated military leader, General Franks has received five Distinguished Service Medals, three Purple Hearts, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was named Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004.

David is no stranger to excellence. Among other achievements, he was recently named Virginia’s 2025 Outstanding Gifted Student—a title he also earned in 2020—and has achieved national distinction for his academic contributions. A two-time winner of the U.S. Naval Essay Contest, David’s award-winning submissions explored the integration of machine learning in strengthening naval operations and the engineering principles behind autonomous systems. Additionally, he was named Grand Champion in the Engineering Design Challenge at the NOVA Fab Lab, where he was recognized for his innovative problem-solving in complex engineering scenarios.

This summer’s experience at the Four Star Leadership Program adds to David’s expanding record of leadership, service, and scholarship — a combination that positions him to be a transformative leader in the years ahead.