This past month, a select few academy ambassadors participated in leadership training. We met with staple members of our community, who shared their unique career journeys. As an ambassador for Journalism, I found this workshop inspiring. When I reached out to my peers, many felt the same. 

“I understood that even in life when I mess up, I can make a comeback and that’s helpful to me and others,” Khadijah Walker reflected. “If someone has made a mistake, I can tell them it’s okay and you can overcome it.” 

When Khadijah’s shared this, she had in mind our session with a local fireman. He told us of his journey to become a fire chief. His career started humbly with a regular 9-5 job in fast food, and he slowly worked his way up until he figured out that he wanted to be a firefighter. This resonated with us because many students do not yet know what they are doing with themselves, and the firefighter’s story helped us put things in perspective. Personally, it definitely gave me the courage for how I am going to progress outside of school. 

“My favorite part of the day was definitely the last session,” Sydney Woodward shared. “The gentleman was definitely a motivational speaker. It was also cool to know he came from the same background [as me].”

The leadership training allowed us to really connect with real role models. The motivational speaker told us of his experience growing up in a middle income house. Most of his friends did not have the same privileges as him, so they chose to spend time at his place where they were welcomed with open arms. He also told us how he grew up in a two parent home, which unfortunately not a lot of young children get to experience, especially minorities. This hit home for a lot of us, highlighting how we can provide a helping hand to our community at a young age.

Other students in the Hampton City Schools academies should definitely look into becoming an ambassador. For my peers and I, the leadership training was empowering. It showed us we can do much more if only we could open our eyes to our own potential. If you are interested in becoming a leader here at Bethel, just reach out to your pathway teacher or Mrs. Rice-Brinkley.