Girl Power: Non-Profit, Community Based Literacy Program

Since volunteering I have meet some admirable, nurturing, and complexed group of people who have devoted their careers to helping families in crucial situations. These group of inspiring people have influenced me in so many ways- especially everyone at the Juvenile Detention Center. When I look around in a room at a meeting for a case, I am absolutely amazed by the number of people that really want to actually help these children get back home or find a safe place to live and improve every aspect of that child’s family life. And we did even know these people but we are all here for the same coming good no one is against

Throughout my high school years, I gave myself many opportunities and challenges to demonstrate my worth as a leader. Of all these positions, the one I take pride in the most would be taking the lead role of directing a non-profit ACT organization. Together with my classmate, we had founded the organization to which I took charge of after he left to attend college. During my role as president of the ACT organization, my responsibilities included tutoring, finding teachers, organizing sign ups, as well as procuring space to hold classes.

Contributing to my school and community is a true passion. I am involved in programs like the Red Cross, Angel Tree created by The Salvation Army, and Olive Garden’s Pasta For Pennies. My school hosted a Red Cross blood drive, and I was responsible for promoting the event to individuals within our school. We had a total of two hundred students donate blood. We helped save a total of six hundred lives! I also assisted the Program Angel Tree by promoting the program among the student organizations within my school. Our involvement has helped hundreds of less fortunate children and seniors receive necessities and gifts! As a team, the student council also collects spare change from students in our school. Our collaboration with Olive Garden has helped fund the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's School & Youth campaign. I am truly glad that my contributions have made an impact within my community and society! My strong involvement in extracurricular activities has helped me become knowledgeable, principled, and a risk-taker. I carry a strong sense of respect and righteousness, and I approach unfamiliar opportunities with a vision and great courage. I seek to set an example for members within my school, community, state, and

My mother always told, “Verline you have to run faster and jump higher to be the best.” My mother emigrated from Haiti and my father from Dominican Republic. I am a trilingual speaker. I am fluent in French, Spanish, and English. My father and mother came to the United States for a better life for my siblings and me. Being the youngest of eight children, where six didn’t attend college brought a lot of pressure in proving to my family that I am going to be successful. While my mother juggled two jobs and attended night classes it was my community that stepped in and help me evolve into the young woman I am today. I gave back to my community when I entered high school, and I began by volunteering at the YMCA I attended. My position switched from an attendee, to a volunteer, and now a camp counselor. I was so excited to take on a leadership role because I wanted to help students find what they are passionate about just as my mentor once did for me. I appreciate the opportunities that my community gave to me. I’ve gained principles, discipline, and tough love from my mentors in my community. Growing up in a large family l learned to share and the importance of relationships. I am beyond grateful to my family and community support for instilling in me the belief that I could do anything, and the sky is the

From this passion, I have worked in my community to become more globally minded. I was incredibly fortunate to be selected by my high school to attend the 16th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, in which I listened to Nobel Prize winners talk about peacebuilding around the world, further inspiring me to work in social reform. This past July, I was selected to attend Camp Rising Sun, where I developed my leadership skills while living with 60 young women from around the

My proposed solution to this is that school counselors and city mayors can be a major source of inspiration to children who are affected by a challenge like this. They can advise them on how to build themselves with determination to make a difference.

One of my biggest projects the past two years was serving a committee member with the Soroptimist Club of Madera, California to help create the event “Dream it, Be it” This event has touched my heart because it shows girls that no matter your race, religion, or current financial status you can achieve your dreams. Many girls in my small town do not have people in their lives that support or motivate them. It was extremely important to me that these girls realize that they are more than statistics, that they have powerful hungry brains that are willing to take them to the next level with hard work. I wanted these girls to know that I believe in them and I am willing to put my time and energy in for them. Being a first generation college student myself, I knew that I needed to use my voice to help girls to go after their dreams, no matter how far off they may seem. I have been a key member in making this event come to life and through this event I have been able to speak to girls and motivate them. I have found inspiration through community service and I want to spread this fire in my heart. I have been able to use leadership as a powerful tool for growth in my community. In hopes that one day everyone will go after their dreams and desires and use these skills to benefit

For my twelve service hours, I decided to dedicate my time to one organization. That organization is known as College Mentors for Kids. College Mentors for Kids is a program specifically designed for elementary and college aged students. It is a nonprofit organization that works with over 2,000 students and mentors one day a week on a college campus. This program can be found throughout nine states and on 33 different college campuses. I am fortunate enough to be attending Ball State University, which is home to the largest chapter in the country for the program. The program’s main focus is to acknowledge the importance of higher education and career growth as you get older. There are a variety of ways the members of this organization accomplish

With this degree, I expect to gain a better sense of policy with nonprofit management, and to concentrate on what it takes to build effective, multi-cultural organizations, as well as what it takes to run them. My goal is to open and manage community centers for inner-city youths. This is important to me because there are students who excel academically, but live in unsupportive and poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Through my experiences working with inner-city adolescents, I have met students distracted and disconnected from their academics because of the lack of resources within urban communities. It is important to understand time as an asset; students spend one-third of their day in school, while using the other two-thirds ineffectively outside of school. My community centers will offer a space where students can find refuge and a safe environment to seek guidance. Through recreational and after-school programs, along with parental and family support, I intend to give students the life tools necessary to succeed. While creating my community center, I will be able to show my talents and knowledge to the best of my ability while providing help to youths and families. The leadership development and supplementary training in budgeting, accounting, principles of management, and policy practice will help me conceive and carry out future solutions. Most importantly, I will make the centers accessible and affordable for

I strongly believe in racial equality and unity, so with my friends, I helped start the first NAACP chapter in Fairfax County. In the chapter, we host different events to bring the community together and enjoy each other company regardless of race. I also believe that every child should have the ability to smile carefree, so I became the treasurer of Operation Smile. Operation Smile is a non-profit organization that helps children in developing countries receive cleft lip surgery and they have high school students and volunteers fundraise money. In the previous year, we were able to fundraise enough money to help two children get cleft lip surgery. Equal opportunity is important to me as well, so I partnered up with a non-profit called Leadership Initiatives and started a club at my school called The International Business Alliance Program (IBAP). In the club, we partner up with small business owners in developing countries and help them with innovative solutions and raise capital. Currently, we are partnered with a restaurant business owner whose community was torn apart by Boko Haram in Nigeria and we are helping her get back on her feet. Through my actions, I hope to inspire others in my community to take initiative and change the world. I believe that my presence in the Virginia Tech community will inspire initiative and make people fight for what they believe

My experiences have encouraged me to pursue my passion for sociology and find what I love to do in life. From these experiences I have learned to become an effective leader, but, more importantly, how to use these skills in order to make changes in society and within my life. Working In leadership positions has taught me there will always be road blocks along any journey, project, or goal I am working towards. What has made me grow as an individual is never stopping or giving up at those roadblocks, but finding ways to be innovative and getting the task done. My involvement has been a contributing factor to my transformation of becoming an individual that strives to lead others to make those same

Over the past two years my leadership skills have increased and have helped me become the person I am today. I have been going to the Boys and Girls Club for 12 years, and essentially this place helped me come out of my shell. In February 2016 I was told of an opportunity that would change my life forever. This opportunity was provided by the Pacific Youth Foundation, and through working with the Boys and Girls Club, I was given the chance to travel to South Africa to complete a service project in July 2016. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Pimville and Protea Glen welcomed us with open arms to positively change the environment and we provided as much help as we could. I was able to assist the children with homework and positively influence them

For my field work I had the pleasure of working at Project Kinship a non-profit organization that strives to break the cycles of gangs and incarceration. According to their vision they create ways for their client formally incarcerated to be successful when reentering society. In addition, they strive to foster a center to give hope to children with parents who have or are involved with gangs. During my time in Project Kinship I addressed planning for the new office space that will carter to the after school program and employment center for clients that are 18 years and older, that are trying to reenter job world. We worked in a group to plan future activities for the after school program

I attended the documentary, Step. It followed three high school girls that attended Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women: Cori Grainger, Tayla Solomon, and Blessin Giraldo. The goal of this school was for every girl to get accepted to college before graduation. Every girl succeeded, but it was a tough journey getting there. Their Step team, Lethal Ladies, is what gave them motivation to achieve their goal, as well as passion, drive, and discipline. It expressed the importance of having community and having something to push you to succeed.

“My fellow elders, are we going to sit down and listen to influences from the western world and watch our own culture shutter in disarray? Our forefathers made it fit and promising in separating the role of men from women. We all know the assigned duties of a man and that of a woman,” said Opanin Kwadwo in a hoarse voice as he continually hit his walking stick on the ground, giving his perceived adamant stance on the argument at hand. The rest of the elders, sat with arms placed underneath their chin,gathered at the Manhyia palace to discuss the daunting condition that had maneuvered its way into the town.