Royals 9

“Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do” – Max De Pree. Growing up as a Hispanic, feeling like I belonged was something I rarely felt. I found it hard to be myself and kept my voice hidden, never making an impact on those around me. It wasn’t until I joined various clubs and organizations during my freshman year of high school that I was able to transform myself into the leader I am today. The most important experience I had with leadership was being involved in clubs that taught me how to develop leadership skills and how to use them in my life.

Entering high school, I had this passion to become a better version of myself and overcome my insecurities and fears. The fear of always being an outsider in a circle full of white girls. Because I had a different culture than my friends, in middle school I masked myself and tried to be just like them. Putting my beliefs and personal life in private was a habit I grew to contain. When Covid-19 was current in my freshman year, everything was online. I didn’t have much to do sitting at home so I decided to join one of the clubs that was sent out to every student. I came across Diversity Ambassadors led by Megan Harrell and had no idea what it was about but I wanted to try something new. I quickly learned the different types of struggles people face today such as race, sexuality, age, gender, stereotypes, etc. Learning about all these things gave me the knowledge and the opportunity to take action. Joining this club allowed me to speak up and help those who were struggling to stand up for themselves just like I was. In this club, we plan multiple events where we bring these issues to our community and do our best to bring awareness and make a change.

After being an active Diversity Ambassador, I was confident in myself to join the student council, which we call “Leadership Class”, my sophomore year. I was quickly able to learn about goal-setting, leadership traits, time management, and decision-making. I learned how to apply these skills as a student which got me through honors classes and kept me on track. By this time, I had grown vastly and realized that I didn’t need to hide myself anymore. I met so many people through events whether they were conference meetings, volunteering, or students in my school. Surrounding myself with several different leaders made me realize that everyone is different in their way and I didn’t need to pretend to be like everybody else. In my junior year, I got invited to the National Honor Society where I got the chance to grow closer to my community by volunteering in many ways. I got out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. I often look back and wonder how different I would be if I didn’t join these clubs. Would I still be afraid to be myself?

By the time I joined the 20/20 Leadership Program, I loved the person I became to be. I always kept in mind that I have yet so much to learn and improve but I was willing to work for it. 20/20 Leadership helped me discover how I could be a leader not only in high school but after I graduate. They gave me insight into the real world and helped me discover who I am and what I wanted to do after high school. With all the leadership skills I learned from all these amazing clubs/organizations, I wanted to not only go into the medical field but also be able to make an influence on others.

My leadership experience, which was joining clubs and organizations, helped me achieve my goals. I was able to become team captain of our Women’s Varsity Soccer team and be a role model to underclassmen. Showing positive leadership, building relationships with my teammates, and enhancing my leadership skills on and off the field are all things that came from a simple choice. A choice I made at 14 years old was to join a club and learn to be myself. Because I was involved, I was able to be valedictorian of my class. Being valedictorian was one of my major goals and the confidence I built over the years helped me persevere to make this dream come true.

I know that it might seem like I am giving a story, but if I were to truly answer “What was the best leadership experience during high school”, it would be the clubs I joined. My involvement with school programs and activities has influenced me to further my education by helping me understand myself. It has also influenced me to want to help others no matter who they are. Being in those clubs is the reason I am who I am today. It has led me to use my voice for those who were just like me and having a desire to help others feel like they belong and who they are matters. It has such a great impact on me that I want to someday create a club or space where people can learn various skills just like I did. If it weren’t for these clubs and organizations that taught me leadership, I would still be a masked person. In my journey of education, I want to share what I know about leadership with others because my leadership comes from my heart.