Volunteer Work​
I have been given so many opportunities to make a change in my community, and in communities with more need than mine.
San Vicente, Mexico
I have been to San Vicente four times working to build foundations and teach children who would otherwise be working. I've been able to get a glimpse into what it is like to live in a level of poverty that I had only seen in movies or heard on the news. This experience has given me a passion for people and culture and is the reason that I minored in cultural anthropology. One of my goals is to work towards bringing people in places like San Vicente resources so that they can better themselves. I have seen what happens when you come into a place and teach the people how to care for themselves. The community in San Vicente is growing rapidly, and the amazing people that we were able to interact with and teach are starting programs where they go to even more impoverished areas to bring the same tools and resources they were given. The whole experience was inspiring, and I am of the opinion that everyone living and working in first world countries should take time to visit and learn from cultures with less.
National Youth Leadership Forum
By the end of my high school career, there still weren't a lot of classes or resources for STEM and women in business. I petitioned to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum for Science and Technology held at UC Berkley in California. I spent a week working with young men and women from all over the country learning from top agents in various fields. We were given the opportunity to mentor the younger group of attendees (those still in mid-high). This experience was eye-opening in so many ways. Of the 25 groups that were in attendance, mine had the largest female to male ratio (5 out of 20), and even though we were predominantly surrounded by men, we met women who were excelling in their field. For example, we met a female aeronautical engineer who was working for NASA.
Lake Stevens High School Drumline
I was introduced to leading teams early in my high school career. I became the head of the base-line for the LSHS Drum Line. I found the experience to be very rewarding as we played for various charity events and programs. I feel that my leadership experience was different to most as I was the smallest person in the group playing the largest and loudest instrument. I found that the dominant masculine way that the group had been traditionally led in was not beneficial for me. Instead, I gained respect for my playing abilities and respect from those who reported to me by showing them I would not request push-ups or publically humiliate them for mistakes.