Flashback to two years ago to me being an awkward sophomore when a friend, who is a Student Ambassador for Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), comes up to me and asks, “Do you care about kids?” I replied, “Of course.” Little did I know that my passion for helping kids was slowly simmering, waiting to be fulfilled.
Growing up, my weekdays consisted of the same thing: first go to preschool, then get picked up by my mother, go to sleep, throw in a meal in between two of those things and that was my day. Today I realize how much my preschool impacted my life.
My preschool program was through Head Start. It gave me more than a start to education – it gave me a second home. “Happi House,” as my program was called, was my home away from home for so many years and introduced me to people that I can’t picture not being in my life.
Since I grew up in a Head Start program and knew what a powerful impact it had on my life, I jumped at the chance to give any child that opportunity. By sharing my experiences at “Happi House”, I could advocate for the equal and fair treatment of children.
I’ve never been big on politics. To be completely truthful, I would always dodge questions about politics. But after witnessing SCAN’s drive and determination to give early education for all children across America, I really understood what advocating and being active in politics meant.
Fast forward from my sophomore year in college to my junior year and now I am a Student Ambassador for SCAN. Being a Student Ambassador has been beneficial for me in so many ways. I’ve gained new skills, friends, and realized that the passions one has for anything, is so pivotal to an organization or a cause.
My SCAN experience has been nothing short of amazing and I am forever appreciative for everything SCAN and its sister organization Save the Children, have done for me and the children we advocate and fight for. I don’t know where my life would be if I never went to a Head Start Program or joined SCAN, but I’m glad I did.
You can help other students like me learn to be advocates for kids while also helping kids everywhere thrive!