Every high school student faces the inevitable question: “What do you want to be?” And we are expected to have an answer. But how are we supposed to know? We want to help students by sharing inspiring stories from Harvard University students who refuse to let their age limit their ability to make a difference, proving that young people can create powerful change.
On Thursday, February 26th, from 3:00 to 4:30 PM, in the Performing Arts Center, SHS Key Club—part of the oldest and largest service program for high school students and a member of the Kiwanis International family—is hosting a Leadership & Service Event for students interested in hearing from Harvard students who have taken initiative to create real change in their communities.
As members of the SHS Key Club, we organized this event after attending an event at Harvard Univeristy last spring: Future Leaders in Public Service (FLIPS) Conference, hosted by Harvard SWAN (Service with a Name), featured successful philanthropists, including Mark O’Donnell, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA; Anoushka Chander, political activist during the flint water crisis and founding member of Harvard SWAN; and Olivia Zhang, CEO of the world’s largest youth led cancer non profit, Cancer Kids First.
After hearing from people who have redefined success and from students and ordinary citizens who devote their lives to helping others, we learned how powerful our potential for change is.
We realized that high school is more than just classes, homework, and exams—it’s a time to discover who you are, what you care about, and how you can make a difference. We hope to recreate these same limitless feelings for more students at Scituate High School.
One of the featured speakers on February 26th is SHS alum Carly Bolton (Class of 2021). Currently a senior at Harvard studying economics, Bolton began her nonprofit work as a Scituate student and will speak in depth about her involvement with Harvard’s Service with a Name.
Another speaker, Olivia Zhang, a Harvard junior studying economics, is the CEO and founder of the world’s largest youth-led nonprofit, Cancer Kids First. As an author and Ted Talk speaker, she has been featured in People, CBS News, New York Times Upfront, and Business Insider. Zhang has received numerous honors for her work: she is a Diana Award recipient, a L’Oréal Women of Worth honoree, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 awardee.
Ainsleigh Corbis is a sophomore at Harvard who is studying psychology and educational studies. Highly involved in Silver Lake High School’s Key Club for all four years of high school, she is continuing her involvement as an intern for Kiwanis.
We hope students who attend the February 26th event will feel energized and equipped with tools to create change. Audience members will hear from all three guest speakers and have the opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A session. In addition, anyone who signs up will automatically be entered into a raffle for a copy of Olivia Zhang’s new book, YOUth: The Young Person’s Guide to Starting a Non-Profit.
Attending the Key Club Leadership & Service Event could be the first step toward finding your passion and discovering new ways to make a difference.