If you remember way back in episode four of this year, we introduced to you Aarit, the Ohio Civics Bee champion. Aarit taught us that it’s really important to be engaged in your community so that you can use your leadership to make a difference in your community. Well, this week we’re going to tell you about a group of high school students, all from Akron City Schools, who have been selected by their teachers and peers to represent the student body on the Akron School Board, and their work has earned them this week’s A+ Award.
Scholar Voices focuses on engaging scholars representing all of Akron’s high schools to develop programs and help use their perspectives to improve the school district. We were able to catch up with Piper, an eleventh grader, and Milan, a twelfth grader at Ellet Community Learning Center. Milan told us that he’s really proud of the work he’s doing. He knows that by using his leadership skills he can really make a difference for his classmates. He also told us how important it is to him that he’s a role model. Milan told us that every day he’s at school, he realizes that his teachers and classmates are watching him and he has a responsibility to show his strong character and work ethic. Piper told us that she’s really happy to be a part of the group as well. She is new to Akron, having only moved to the city as a ninth grader. Piper told us that her work has really helped her become a part of the city and her school. She is happy to have the privilege of being able to speak up for others and all of the new skills she’s been able to develop.
At Firestone Community Learning Center, we were able to meet Whitman, a tenth grader, Darelle, a twelfth grader, and Xyia, an eleventh grader. Whitman told us that he’s been focusing his work on transportation and making sure students have safe and efficient transportation to and from school. He explained that it's important to be able to move around your community because it helps you save time and money. Darelle told us that he’s focused on sustainability and he’s even working on a research project focused on coral reefs. He’s even working with the newly elected mayor on climate issues. Xyia told us that she focuses a lot of her work on the nonprofit organization she started called Limitless Dreams. The organization works with disabled athletes and helps them find opportunities to train and compete.
The last student we met was Kaysie, at Akron Early College High School. Kaysie is a senior and looking forward to her college experience at Morgan State University, where she is going to study computer science. Her goal is to become a videogame designer. Kaysie is active in the coding club and on the dance team at her school. She told us that she’s been able to develop her networking skills as a member of the Scholars Voice program. She also told us that she’s been able to give a few speeches to boards and at dinners. She told us that being a leader has really helped her learn how to communicate her ideas and be more confident...
This week’s A+ Award goes to the students representing Akron’s high schools in the Scholars Voice program. We’re impressed by their leadership inside and outside of their schools and motivated by their determination to make their schools and community the best they can be.
