Senior 18

Leadership to me means leading people to reach their goals, but leadership also means supporting those around you. You don’t have to be the team captain or the company president to show leadership. You only need the courage to step up and lead people in the right direction. I aim to be a leader in all the activities I participate in. I am the captain of the Basketball and Volleyball team, and most of the time, my team likes to joke around and treat the sport like a game. My team is outstanding when they put their minds to it, but their joking affects the whole team, not just themselves when we practice. So I would address them. I took them over in the corner with my co-captain, and we told them how their actions hurt the team and how we are here to improve, not to joke around. For the rest of the practice, everyone was quiet as a mouse and working hard to improve. But, as a leader, I didn’t just discipline them; I brought them up and encouraged them when times got hard. During games, my team can get discouraged very quickly, but once their momentum increases, they start playing like a college team. Whenever they got down, I would call a huddle and give them a speech. I would tell them a plan so we can get some points and each player could get a chance to shine. When it came to the score, however, I didn’t care how many points I put on the board. What mattered to me was how my teammates felt. If I could help them score in any way, the happiness they felt was enough for me.

Sports weren’t the only thing that I was interested in, though. When I was in the 5th grade, a woman visiting the school talked to us about joining Girl Scouts. She spoke about selling cookies and earning badges, but then she mentioned going on trips, and at that moment, I was hooked. I told my mom about it, and she was all for it. She enrolled my other three sisters and put my brother in boy scouts. She even became the leader of our troop. We did badges, sang songs, went camping, and volunteered everywhere. We built a small free library, made dog and cat toys, and taught other kids how to make them. We served food at Prairie Estates, collected toys and books to give away during Christmas, and many other things. Eventually, I got to become a teen leader at day camp. My job was to ensure all the kids got to activities on time, everyone was safe, and everyone was having fun, but, truthfully, I was having more fun than they were. Seeing how much fun they were having and just playing around with them was the highlight of my summer. They would give me nicknames, soak me in water, and when it was time to go, they would give me the biggest hugs and refuse to let go. In the future, I want to be an example of a leader to others the way people are to me. I want to make a substantial and positive impact on someone’s life in a way that they are empowered to lead others.