Highlighting Emerging Leadership In Their Own Words
“As a former Teen Leader myself, I’m excited for the opportunity through the Associate Board to invest my time in advancing Teen Leader success.”
A Job That Inspires
I first joined Read Alliance as a Teen Leader my senior year of high school. Initially, believing that it was just a great opportunity to earn a paycheck that would go towards my college savings, I was eager to apply. It wasn't until I heard the amount of passion conveyed by Read Alliance’s Program Manager that I found the whole experience incredibly inspiring.
The Teen Leader role is a great job because it was created specifically with high school students in mind. It felt different from other jobs or internships because with Read Alliance, I knew I would be able to take something meaningful away from the experience besides a paycheck. I wanted to absorb as much as I could from that opportunity.
Connecting with Kids
What I valued most was my relationship with the kids. At first, I felt nervous about tutoring kids. Oftentimes kids are not taken seriously, but through this job opportunity I learned so many things about six- and seven-year-olds that I did not expect. They notice and absorb everything! If the kids can see that you are taking them seriously and that you enjoy working with them, your positive energy is reflected in how they learn. I left this experience understanding how important the bond is between the student and Teen Leader.
Giving Back
I am so happy to have reconnected with Read Alliance through the Associate Board, and I am gaining a whole new perspective on the dual-impact programming and how it’s expanding. I was able to meet some of the Teen Leaders at a recent career workshop, and I was struck by the sense of community Read Alliance is building for today’s Teen Leaders. I’m thrilled that the organization is giving the students the space to talk about their future goals and reflect, and as a former Teen Leader myself, I’m excited for the opportunity through the Associate Board to invest my time in advancing Teen Leader success .
Read Alliance invests in our Teen Leaders through meaningful paid tutoring jobs and wraparound programming to support their growth as leaders. Supporting Read Alliance is an investment in young people and their successful futures!