Ted Talks - The Benefits of School Involvement by Kaitlyn

Ted Talks - The Benefits of School Involvement by Kaitlyn - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

Let’s be honest, not many students jump out of their seats when given an opportunity to help their school. Something that students forget, though, are the benefits of helping their community. This is something that I, too, had forgotten about until I saw a need and stepped up, bridging the gap between student and school. For my Ted Talk, I would choose “The Benefits School Involvement” to remind students, like myself, of the good that can come from bridging the gap between student and school.
Coming from a high school made up of about 90 students, with our first class graduating in 2018, our clubs are sparse and we have no sports teams. This is why when I heard about Interact Club, I immediately asked my principal for approval, which was granted, found a “sponsor,” and partnered with the nearest Rotary Club to get more high school students involved in a club that would build more friendships and form a community connection. The high school students have loved volunteering in the community and helping others. Even if it does not benefit them in any other way than earning volunteer hours, they have formed numerous connections within our community and have even chosen to go to these places on their own time to continue volunteering. Therefore, I would mention clubs and participating in academic competitions in my Ted Talk speech to encourage students to get involved and socialize with each other to make a difference in, not only others’ lives, but theirs as well.
One way that I have volunteered directly benefits my school. I have found that by having an affiliation or a passion for what you are volunteering for it makes it easier and more rewarding. Annually, my school puts on a Gala fundraiser, as we are a charter school and receive limited government funding. Two years ago, I stepped in and received enough donations for our silent and live auctions to make our 2015 Gala the most successful one yet. As a result of this experience, we made several community connections which have helped me to understand business and help me receive even more contributions over the past two years. Seeing the change in my school has been the most rewarding part in that our elementary school has a brand new campus the students are thrilled about. By next summer, the secondary school will have the brand new campus our high schoolers have been waiting patiently for. I believe that including this experience in my Ted Talk would prove to students that starting with yourself, your everyday life, and the community around you, you can make one of the greatest differences of all, especially when you get to see the change right before your eyes.
From my personal experiences, I can say that volunteering for my school has made me very invested in the success and well-being of my school. I feel that this will happen naturally with any organization that students choose to pour their time and energy into. When I have the chance to share my adventure and my school’s growth with others, I am overjoyed. Additionally, when it is not “Gala season,” I choose to be the stage manager of our school’s productions, participate in clubs, and give back in any way that I can. Whether it be food drives that are being hosted through my school or other events, I look forward to supporting their efforts. I have even received offers to help outside organizations with their events and productions. This investment and passion that I feel for my school has truly taught me many lessons which I would hope to pass on to my Ted Talk audience. Being selfless and eager to help others is not teachable, but inspiring my audience to look for a need and get involved is something I hope they would get out of my Ted Talk.
Being an aspiring philanthropist has shown me the difference that one person can make in the world around them. When starting my volunteering, I never imagined that it would become something that I look forward to every year or that I would be a sixteen-year-old Gala Chairperson. However, these experiences have given me many connections within my community, helped to grow my school, and have allowed me to become more invested in my school. Sharing my experiences with others through a Ted Talk would hopefully open students’ eyes to the benefits of being involved in their school.