Senior 20

I have demonstrated my leadership abilities on several occasions, and I believe that I am a natural leader in my job. I work as a hostess and busser in a restaurant, which requires a lot of communication to maintain a successful work environment. To provide accurate wait times to customers and have an understanding of when it is safe to seat them again, I need to communicate effectively with my servers. Whenever I notice my servers rushing or running instead of walking, I ask them if they need a couple of minutes before taking another table. My work style is considered critical at our workplace since many other hosts don’t do the same, leading to overwhelmed servers, longer wait times, unhappy customers, and staff members. As the only hostess who speaks two languages, I always offer myself help when it comes to customers who do not speak English. I can speak Spanish and communicate with the kitchen, which is said to be critical. Language barriers can be frustrating, especially when specific information is needed. When I am present, I always help servers communicate with the kitchen and take orders from customers who do not speak English.
I have also demonstrated my leadership abilities in school environments. Along with peers I encouraged to join me, I was a part of the Hispanic Month Committee, which dealt with issues about our school not having much representation for Hispanic kids. I worked with a committee to plan events that raised awareness of Hispanic students at our school and suggested ideas for future events. What I liked most about the committee was that it was entirely student-led. Our teacher only helped us achieve what we had planned, but the events we organized were planned and executed by me and my peers. I helped organize a panel discussion where our committee met with councilmen to discuss issues facing the Hispanic community in Kansas City. The councilmen promised to help us arrange a meeting with the city mayor to discuss the same issues. During the panel discussion with councilmen and other representatives who visited our school, I spoke with them and engaged in a conversation in front of a school audience about issues like Machismo and Marianismo, both of which are gender-based stereotypes that are common in the Hispanic community. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we organized an all-school assembly where Hispanic community leaders came and performed at our school, whether in the form of dance, writing, or singing. We also purchased common Hispanic snacks to sell in our school store to fund Black History Month programs and events, as well as our Dual Language program. For me, supporting my community and communities with close ties to me is crucial. My parents always instilled in me the importance of effective communication to better myself and find opportunities in America. They also encouraged me to learn English, and now that I can speak it fluently, I enjoy advocating for my fellow Hispanic community and other underrepresented groups. I aspire to continue making a difference, one step at a time, especially during my college years, and above.