On Guiding the Youth

In high school, I did about 15 hours of tutoring a week. I taught middle and high schoolers just about every subject, from english to calculus to government to physics. I grew to enjoy the process of it. I loved getting to make people not just a more educated version of themselves, but a better version of themselves. I believe that education does teach people how to think, and it's so important to learn how to think critically and logically. In college, I found other outlets for this passion. I sought jobs -- such as peer teaching and being an instructor at computer science camps -- which allowed me to help people grow, as well as continuing my service work. Rather than volunteer tutoring, this took the form of the Society of Women in Engineering's Outreach Program. The Outreach group goes to local elementary and middle schools and present interactive lessons on various STEM-related subjects. That said, the reason I derive joy from teaching is that I get to guide others, and that my efforts had a positive influence on their life. That desire goes beyond just educational influences. I believe that part of becoming prepared for adulthood is becoming civically active. This isn't about volunteering in presidential campaigns, or donating money. Rather, I believe that people should be aware of how politics, especially local politics, affects them. For instance, there was a permit for a new data center filed in a neighborhood close to mine. If that had been granted, it would have had immediate consequences on my environment and water. It was avoided because locals organized to make their desire to avoid a data center heard. People of every major and profession could benefit from being civically engaged. I've worked to cultivate such engagement in a variety of ways. I've volunteered and worked at the Civitas nonprofit, a local nonprofit which works to get youth civically engaged. I also volunteer at Girls State, a summer camp where teenage girls create their own mock-government. I helped to spearhead their School of Local Government, to help people learn about the wide variety of ways their lives are affected by the government. I've also given interviews to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Guardian, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, and more about why young people especially can and should stay informed and involved.