Understanding Leadership by Celeste

Understanding Leadership by Celeste - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

To some people, being a leader may be intimidating. When some people think of a leader, they think of a hero, like superman. However, I believe the characteristic of a leader can be present in everyone. Leadership is being a role model and having the will power to succeed. It is absolutely necessary for college success.

Growing up, I moved around a lot- eight times to be exact. Adapting to new schools and different environments made me a very shy and hidden person, a follower. I became an expert in analyzing different desires and habits of various cliques. Still at a fairly young age, my family settles in Germantown, Maryland and I finally found a place I could call home. For years, I would follow the ways of my classmates. I dressed like them, talked like them, became them. It took me five years to finally find a group of friends that I could trust and act myself around. I felt as if I lived in the shadows of others and for some reason, felt content.

It wasn’t until seventh grade when Mrs. Malik, my Chemistry teacher, encouraged me to run for class president, that I felt like a leader. At the time, Mrs. Malik was my role model. She was smart, inspiring, and extremely organized. At first, I was timid and unsure of the whole situation, but with the assistance and consolation of Mrs. Malik, I ran. I ran and I won. It was the greatest feeling I had ever felt. That year, I went to meetings, took initiative of school activities, and truly felt like a leader. Looking back at it now, I would have never ran if it weren’t for Mrs. Malik. My leader inspired me to become one.

A leader is someone that believes in others to succeed; someone who encourages others, like Mrs. Malik. Today, I am a leader in my school. As captain of my field hockey team and lacrosse team and president of the Think Pink club, I have learned that encouraging others and communicating is so important for success.

I also understand that being a leader does not mean you have to be a captain or a president. When my sister was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, one of the outcomes was the lack of ability to exercise. She became extremely lazy and unmotivated. When she wanted to try out for a club lacrosse team, I was the one to teacher her how to catch, throw, and run. Being her leader meant that I was her role model, her guidance, and someone who believed in her.

The times when I involved myself in school activities and helped my sister overcome her disease were times that I revealed a sense of leadership. In the scheem of things, isn’t that what college is all about? Learning, developing, and communicating is key to succeeding in any level of education. Leadership is all about feeling empowered to make a difference and growing as an individual. If one does not have this quality, it may be difficult to acquire success. When things are difficult in college, encouragement is something that almost everyone needs. If I, a shy girl who used to live in the shadows of my classmates, could be a leader, then I believe that anyone could. The quality of being a leader is vital and absolutely necessary in college.