Being a Leader by Karis

Being a Leader by Karis - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

I can certainly say that my most proud school accomplishment so far would have to be becoming the president of a writing club at my school. Due to this writing club (called Writer's Guild) that I have immersed myself in for three years, I have not only learned how to progress on my leadership skills, but how to also be a successful member of my community.
Activities such as mentoring elementary school kids in my local school district, making holiday cards for soldiers, or learning how to play different instruments, have heavily attributed to who I am as a person. But there is one activity that has tremendously help shape me into the individual that I am today: being the president of my club for over three years. At first, when I started off as a member, I was extremely shy, possessed no leadership skills, and was afraid to be myself due to the fear of people judging me. Now, as my third year as president of Writer's Guild and a current senior, those traits have completely flipped! Now, I am more vibrant and more confident than ever, I have obtained leadership, social, and writing skills, and I have come to realize that I must be true to myself and I cannot worry about how others feel about me. Being president of Writer's Guild has prepared me to become a successful member of my community because it has taught me how to handle various situations under pressure, it has shown me the responsibilities one must have to attain this position, and it has helped demonstrate the necessary requirements of becoming a leader outside of school. With these traits I now obtain, I know that I can positively bring change within my community by possibly pulling people together to make a community garden with beautiful plants, vegetables, and fruits, advocating for safer streets by developing a community watch program, with my position as concert mistress, first chair in my orchestra class, I could also create a program where I lend my time as a mentor to help increase the skills of beginner/intermediate players that want to play classical music, or just simply lend a hand to anyone in need.
In conclusion, I feel that with my experience as a president of a club, I have gained a plethora of knowledge on how to be a better leader, a better person, and a better influence for my members. With the skills I now possess, I know that I will do an abundance for my community and continue to grow as a person. Finally, I would like to leave you with a quote by John Quincy Adams that I always try to stand by: If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.