Paying it Forward by Giving Back
As a current Fellows Executive Board Member, I have been a member of NSHSS for more than 11 years and through all walks of life, I have upheld Mr. Nobel’s vision of giving back to the community which cultivated me. To name a few active roles, I have served as a guest speaker at local high schools, volunteered for several days of service and have even mentored several students throughout my career. Fast-forward my life ten years, include a graduate degree, a marriage and the birth of my first child and a full-time job, my greatest joy (besides being a mom) is still giving back. I worked EXTREMELY hard to achieve the level of success I have; but I owe it to my unwavering support system as well as those who planted a seed within me. There were many times when it would have been easier to quit, but my “front-row” never let me and they never let me down. You have no idea the impact one small act of kindness can do for another person until you have been on the other side. The only way we will continue to have our organization grow in the direction that we desire and fulfill Mr. Nobel’s vision is to continue to not only harvest the best and the brightest, but to invest in our communities those values that will produce new leaders of tomorrow.
I’m sure you are probably thinking, “That’s nice and motivational, but what can I do?” Well that’s actually pretty easy and I pose a question to you: What is your passion? My passion is helping people, especially high school students so when my life allows, I make a point to actually arrange a day to go speak at local high schools. Topics are very broad but typically cover applying for scholarships, making yourself marketable during the college application process and organizations that set you a part from your cohort such as NSHSS. This may not be your passion, and that’s ok, but the methodology is the same:
1. Be Proactive: research the need for your desired area of service, if there are any pre-requisites that you would need to have fulfilled and contact multiple organizations to see if there is one that fits your specific desire. You may even consider speaking one-on-one with an individual who is exactly where you could see yourself flourishing.
2. Be Prepared: Make sure before you commit to a project you are able to meet all obligations. Life happens and things will come up, but if it is known that you will be expected to be present weekly, but you have limited transportation, you may want to rethink your project.
3. Be Present: The last thing you want to do is commit your time to a project you really aren’t into. Again this ties back into YOUR Passion and that’s something that only YOU can decide.