Before participating in the Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania program, I never thought I could be a leader. I was shy, unsure of how I could even begin helping my local community. When I saw an email from my guidance counselor with a link to the Young Ambassadors application, though, I saw an opportunity open up. I knew that if I became a part of this program, I would finally learn how to turn my ideas into tangible impact.

As soon as I attended the first meeting, I fell in love with the program. The advisors were kind and understanding, gently guiding us in order to build our skills as civic leaders. I learned about the Leave No Trace program, and why it wasn't exactly a good idea to throw banana peels into the forest. I learned about how waste is processed, which is something most people know nothing about because once trash is out of sight, it is out of mind. Most importantly, I learned how to apply this knowledge to my own community. Without this program, I never would have been able to organize a litter cleanup or an education event at my school. In fact, this program inspired me and the Environmental Club advisor at my school to continue the litter cleanups even after my time as Young Ambassador was over; every spring, we trudge through the forest near the school, shoving wrappers, cartons, and who knows what else into bags. In other words, the PA Young Ambassadors program gave me the strength, courage, knowledge, and inspiration to be who I am today.

Because of this program, I learned that everyone has a responsibility to exercise stewardship towards their community. Beyond even that, I learned that everyone has the ability to be a leader, if they can just find the courage to try.

The PA Young Ambassadors program gave me the tools and knowledge to make an impact in my community. While I was in the program, I completed the required litter cleanup and education event. As part of my school's Environmental Club, members, including myself, identified and recognized the most pressing source of trash in our area, which was local restaurants. These places were inadvertently responsible for large volumes of garbage entering the woods. Bears are rampant in our community, and they tend to indiscriminately tear apart trash bags in dumpsters and scatter them where they will. Although the restaurants are aware of the issue and are trying to fix it, the problem persists. In an effort to fix this, we centered our cleanup around that area.

Even when my time as an ambassador had concluded, my club advisor and I decided that we should continue the litter cleanups. They were fun, but more importantly, they made a positive impact on our local community. I will soon be in the process of organizing the 3rd annual North Pocono Environmental Club litter cleanup.

This past fall, I received an email containing an application for Young Ambassadors alum to serve as guest speakers at the 2024 KPB Summit for Community Stewardship. A few weeks later, I was behind a microphone, speaking of how my experience impacted me and allowed me to make a positive impact on my community.

Soon, I will be heading to college. I will no longer be living in the community I grew up in. However, I hope that younger students will continue the litter cleanups every year from now. I also know that in whatever community I end up in, during college and beyond, I will know how to make an impact because of my experience as a PA Young Ambassador.

As a Young Ambassador, I experienced so much personal growth that it is hard to narrow it down to three things. These are the most important things I have learned about myself because of my experience as a Young Ambassador.

1. I learned that everyone has the capacity to be a leader and to make a positive impact on their communities. As a tenth grader, I was the last person that would be classified as a leader. Because of this program, though, I discovered that of course I had the ability to lead projects and inspire others to lead their own. I just had to believe in myself and employ the tools and knowledge that I gained as being a member of this program.

2. I learned that the things that we forget about as a society are the things we should be paying the most attention to. Much of what I learned at the virtual meetings was about how waste is classified and dealt with. At least in my experience, most people tend to not pay much attention to what they're throwing away and where it's going. Because of the knowledge I gained from these meetings, I am careful about what material I recycle and what I throw away, and I am conscious about consuming and producing less waste.

3. I learned that being a community steward, especially in an environmental capacity, is something I want to continue doing in the future. I am currently planning on majoring in Environmental Studies, and, in college, I want to participate in efforts to improve my local community, whether that's the college itself or a part of the city or town I end up in. Beyond college, I want to organize litter cleanups in my community and educate others about the importance of being community and environmental stewards.