As members of the ELITE club, we had the privilege of sharing our purpose with a class of 8th grade students at Hedgepeth-Williams Middle School in Trenton. We had an open discussion on leadership, not only explaining to them our perspective on the matter, but also taking the time to listen to their opinions on what makes a positive leader.
Children of today’s generation do not have it easy. Schools attempt to steer them in the right direction and prepare them for the real world as much as they can; however, they are often deterred from educational growth due to outside factors such as their home and neighborhood environments, lack of positive leadership, and peer pressure.
Values like honesty, humility, gratitude and respect are not taught in school. The only way to better our youth is to push them to empower themselves with confidence. Only when they equip themselves with this tool, along with positive role models, will they be able to truly appreciate their worth and pursue their goals. This is what you can give back.
We all have the power to make a change, so what are we waiting for? It only takes one person to be a positive influence, one person to make a meaningful difference in someone’s life. We should always remember that to another person a small effort can mean the world. This is exactly the message that ELITE is trying to convey. Support the movement. Be the change. Live to Evolve.
