When walking into the hotel conference room, I didn’t know what to expect, especially when meeting a whole new group of people my age. Yet, I found that despite some differences between myself and my classmates, we all shared a common value of kindness and giving. These differences helped each individual bring a unique set of characteristics and gifts to conversations and the atmosphere.
Each person’s unique talents shone brighter through the team exercises we did together. For example, the sandcastle building competition. I wasn’t the greatest at making the sand pillars like my teammates, but I felt I was able to contribute by decorating the castle with seaweed and shells. Not only did this teach me about others, but also about leadership.
When everyone does what they can to reach a common goal, no matter how small, they all become a leader through their action. It’s like in real life, even though you may not have the skills or power to change systems and move nations, you can still take action towards an issue through things like volunteering and spreading awareness. So, after spending some time inside and outside that conference room, I learned from my peers and the guided activities that there is kindness and value in everyone, and that I can be a leader by doing what I can.
Student Author: Eden Smith
