We Day Energy

By Sarah Adams, AmeriCorps Promise Fellow serving at Orono High School
I was asked by my supervisor, Katie, to help chaperone 19 high school students at WE Day in September. WE Day was a great opportunity to see the students who regularly serve their community get recognition for their efforts and get inspired to carry on their drive to serve for the '16-'17 school year.
I was very touched by a special needs girl who came with us to the WE Day conference because special education kids are not traditionally asked to serve but she was fully immersed in the experience. It was great to see her enjoying the speakers and performers amongst the 18,000 other service-learning students in the Xcel Energy Center.
In fact, she was much more interested in the program than some of the girls from Youth in Action, which is the student service club at the high school. Her passion made me realize that youth not traditionally asked to serve can be a great resource for their own social groups within the larger community. From my previous personal experiences, I would have assumed that students with special needs would not want to or would not be able to serve in their community at that level but she proved to me that everyone can serve in their own way and gave me a new perspective. I am excited to see where service will take her in academic and personal respects throughout the year.
[From “Voices From the Field: Reflections from Minnesota Alliance With Youth’s AmeriCorps Members.” Fall 2016.]