One High School Organizer Inspires Another
In response to Ashley’s Experience
By Ben, Member of the High School Organizing Team
During one of our High School Organizer calls, I had the privilege to hear from my colleague Ashley about her recent accomplishments as a second-year High School Organizer. She had made a presentation to her PTSA about bringing comprehensive sexuality education to her school. As an organizer new to the team, hearing about someone with only one year more experience then me accomplishing what she accomplished was truly inspiring. It was fantastic to think that I too could achieve this in only a year.
Ashley’s active strides to make her high school and local community aware of the need for comprehensive sexual education are admirable. By bringing her local community to an information night, she opened the eyes and minds of several parents and students in her community. Of course, the presentation itself was filled with important information, but possibly the greater impact was her presence as a youth. By remaining confident, and portraying herself as an informed and involved youth, Ashley shattered the stereotype of the lazy, politically inactive youth. When a youth creates as powerful a presence as she does, they are hard to ignore.
As a colleague and friend of Ashley’s, it is inspiring to see her succeed so well in carrying out a plan like she did. It shows that with hard work and determination, youth can have an impact.
Although my plans for my school’s event are still in the development phase, her success has encouraged me to plan a pro-comprehensive sex-ed lobby day for my county SGA, which is now scheduled for April of 2008. And it is all thanks to Ashley’s success and efforts.
Today’s world needs more youth like Ashley. I interact everyday with youth who have potential to execute plans like hers, and, with proper training, one day could. I hope one day, every young person will have the privilege of participating in the training and education that Advocates for Youth has provided to Ashley and myself.
>> Read Ashley's article: Keeping it REAL with the PTSA!
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