Sample Submissions

From elementary school, students have learned the importance of a strong community but have rarely learned how to be involved. The problems in the community will continue to grow if the current youth remain uncomfortable to make the changes they want to see. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, individuals are required to distance themselves from one another. This was especially a struggle for youth and their mental health, as they were forced to experience life from the sidelines while experiencing the unfolding of disheartening events. Due to pandemic restrictions, it can be hard for youth to find resources to enact change. Now, more than ever, we need youth voices from all backgrounds to enact change at a higher level.

 

To provide youth with a platform, we propose an action team, called Leaders of Today Northwest, to provide youth with a platform that will allow youth to share their voices. This gives youth the opportunity to identify a problem and provides them with the resources to take action in the community so that they can realize their potential as leaders. To address the issue of youth disengagement, we will be holding a competition from January to April to explore the evolution of youth perspectives during the pandemic. This outlet will not only allow a diverse range of students to express themselves creatively but will also reconnect them to their communities and help them find common ground in times of instability. The main goals of this competition are to give youth a platform for their voices, resources to enact change, and a chance to reflect upon the issues they currently face in society. We will measure success by the number of people who enter the competition and by the change that the winners create in their communities.

 

The competition will accept short, creative video-submissions and writing pieces in response to a prompt. The winners will get the opportunity to collaborate with Adult Ambassadors in their respective categories. They will have the chance to collaborate with the Adult Ambassadors and perhaps even create new projects to shine a light on the youth perspective. There are current practices in place such as youth organizations that provide students with the opportunity to volunteer and create change in the community. However, this competition is unique as it bridges the gaps between professionals and youth. By working with Adult Ambassadors, youth gain access to a whole new world of resources and opportunities to create change. This competition is quite straightforward as it requires the creation of competition materials, outreach, and communication with Adult Ambassadors, all of which are feasible.

 

To successfully organize this competition, we need Adult Ambassadors willing to judge competition submissions and collaborate with winners to execute their ideas for change. Additionally, we also need motivated youth with a vision to apply for this competition so that they can have their voices and ideas heard and elevated in the community.