Why I Joined the Board: I joined the Young Adult Leadership Board because I wanted to add my sense of understanding to the board. I feel that my experience in foster care has been extremely positive and I have meet so many individuals that truly care about foster youth and respect what is being voiced in regards to concerns and experiences of being in the system. For me, this shows me that people do take the time to listen so I would love to keep being heard and representing other youth.
My Passion: My drive and passion for helping other people is a resourceful contribution to the board. Being able to support other youth who have faced similar challenges is rewarding in the because I know I am helping someone else succeed and help them so their voices are heard.
Where I’m Going This Year: This summer I am going on a trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and India to volunteer and give back to people in need. A majority of our time in these countries will be spent working at elephant sanctuaries and at the local orphanages. In my case I was never an orphan, but I feel that I can try to understand what all the children I will spend time with are experiencing. My biggest goal is to make sure all the kids I get to know understand that they are loved and are important. The time that these children allow me to spend with them is an extreme honor. I hope to come out of this trip letting the people I meet understand that their time is a gift to me.
As I go into the Fall of 2018 semester and the start of my Sophomore year I plan to start taking some more classes that are geared towards my major in the study of Social Work. I am hoping to attend yoga class more often and to make more time for myself. I also plan to try and work part time hopefully at the university gym or whole foods. I think this will allow me to learn more time management skills and become more social than I am.
The Unique Perspective I Bring to the Board: My optimistic and open perspective will be a good addition to the board. I like to hear what people have to say before I judge a situation or jump to any conclusions. This has not always been something that I was able to do, often I would assume that I knew who a person was by the way they dressed or talked before even trying to know the person for who they really are not what I see or hear right of the bat. I want to develop new friendships while being apart of the board and hope that I can support the other members through their lives.
