To me, volunteering is one of the most important things that people should get involved in. Sure, the bonus of volunteering is that it looks fantastic on applications, but that's not the reason why I do it! Knowing that I can make a difference in someone's life or throughout the community makes me truly happy! After I volunteer, I go home completely fulfilled and with a smile knowing I've helped someone, even if it was something small. The majority of High School students only volunteer because they need their thirty career hours! But I think that people should step up and just do it, not because it's mandatory! I'm on the senior girls basketball team, this is my eleventh year in dance, but nothing makes me more happier than helping. I think more people should try it and I hope that if they do they can get as much enjoyment. The Past few months have been crazy but good! In December I went away, and came back having learned things about myself, and things I could teach to others. In school, I've been working non-stop decorating and planning dances, and different events the our acoustic shows, spirit week and our biggest, the Kentucky Cup. The Youth Action Team was going to have RUCKUS during the Frosty Festival, but like I said in my previous post, it was cancelled due to weather conditions! So, we are still planning to have it within the next few months, and this gives us more time to help make it even better. For the Mount Pearl Crime Prevention Committee, we had a booth during the Frosty Festival. We are in the middle of planning a few city events for younger kids to come out. We will be holding a family event around late March or April. We are also trying to get kids to start volunteering, which I think everyone should be trying to start! Other than that, we haven't decided what's next - and that goes for the other two committee's I am on as well - but I can honestly say, I can't wait to get started on whatever's next within the next few months.

I volunteer because I love it. And I think that whoever volunteer's will love it too. So we should start motivating, and get people helping, because it's a great thing, and the right thing to do!

February was probably my craziest month! February was a month to bring spirit not only in my school, but also throughout the community with Spirit Week and the Frosty Festival. As our schools level two representative I participated in the creation of our Spirit Week. Our Student Council spent weeks planning our major events, and the weeks small daily activities! Our job was to bring out everyones full Huskie Spirit! Also, I helped decorate the glacier and help make the biggest event of the school year, go smoothly -- Kentucky Cup! -- Being a member of the Youth Action team, I also helped prepare an event called RUCKUS which was for students from Mount Pearl Intermideate, Mount Pearl Senior High, O'Donell High School and St.Peter;s Junior High. It was an event to bring the schools together for healthy competition, but was unfortuneatly cancelled due to weather conditions. With the Mount Pearl Crime Prevention Committee, I helped out at a booth during Frosty's Birthday Bash during this years Frosty Festival! I helped prep, spread information to parents and kids about different safety precautions, ways to get involved, and places to go if you are ever in need of assitance no matter the situation. This month was very busy, so it's good that I love what I'm doing, and helping people! :)

Before Christmas I was in Florida meeting scouts for modeling and acting. During my week in Florida, I participated in many seminars that taught me so many things involving leadership that I did not expect to learn there. It proves that leadership can be taught and learned just about anywhere. James Pentaudi from Albany Talent Agency taught me that everyone should try to be a "YES" person. Saying "YES" instead of "yep" or "mhmm" etc., can show a person's eagerness on taking the initiative to be a leader. When you hear a "yes'' it can show a person that you are willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. Most people
react to ''yes'' people than to others. Keep in mind the tone of voice too! Another thing I learned was that you should be a leader rather than a follower. You should trust yourselves and your ideas and don't be afraid to start a committee or join one and share your ideas. If we all held back our ideas there would be nothing for others to gain. Ralph Waldo Emerson would probably agree when he stated "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." My faveourite quote is from Colonel Dandridge M. Malone "The very essence of leadership is its purpose. And the purpose of leadership is to accomplish a task. That is what leadership does–and what it does is more important than what it is or how it works." We all have to be a leader and help accomplish that task to help others, or you're community. For me, completeing every task makes everyday a little better. Knowing I've helped someone or helped the community for the better, makes me happy and that's why I am a leader!

Harold S. Greene said it best when he stated that "Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitudes and actions." But what he might not have added was that although leadership is practiced in attitudes and actions, it can also help shape a person, and teach them great values and skills. I even proved it to myself, through myself. This year, I am Volunteering with the Mount Pearl Crime Prevention Committee, and have been elected Level Two Rep for the Mount Pearl Senior High Student Council, also I have been accepted onto the Mount Pearl Youth Action Team. By volunteering on these committees I have learned and developed many leadership skills and qualities, and have learned how to be a better leader. Being a leader is to understand people, and involve them to help you do a job. You also have to learn through various characteristics such as determination, knowledge, skill, integrity, etc. to not accept failure and use each situation as a learning oppurtunity. I have been fortunate to have learned this, this year. My job is to not only bring ideas to the table for community events and school events, but to also motivate people to help within their comminity, and take part in creating a great events to benifit everyone. Being a leader isn't to produce followers, but to help create more leaders. By becoming a leader in my school and community, I have been able to try to accomplish that. Like I said previously, I proved how leadership can shape a person and their skills, values, attitudes and actions, through myself by taking a part and being involved. And I think that everyone should be involved in any way possible. Because it's the youth who needs to be prepared to run our future.