Leadership is a very important role in my life, I view it as a vital role in my development and in my contribution to society to work hard to be able to motivate and inspire people to achieve their goals. I have taken on roles in every aspect of my life as a mentor, at school I have served as a commissioner in our school freshman mentor program called link crew, and in church, I help coordinate activities and summer camps for approximately 150 teenage girls, in my personal life I serve as a mentor and sisterly figure for my 13-year-old cousin who escaped an abusive household, and at work, I am a shift lead, the hiring and training supervisor. I view leadership as one of the most important skills that every person should have. I value my position as a leader and role model for young girls who I’ve helped to achieve academic, spiritual and personal growth. I've spent my life developing this skill and attributes that coincide with it, I've watched the example of good leaders in my life. I learned the importance of listening from my dad, from my mother I learned to rely on others and my resources. Some say it is a weakness to rely on others and that in doing so you are vulnerable. However, I learned through my moms example that it is in fact a strength to use community, and loved ones, it strengthens relationships and bonds us in respect and love for each other as human beings. I learned through my short 18 years of life that one of the most important characteristics of being a leader is the ability to have perspective. Being able to see other situations and even your own, often times leads to a solution. I strive to become skilled in listening to others and where they are coming from in order to correctly utilize their skill sets, I am put in a unique position to have empathy and understanding for those I lead. It is extremely important to me that the environment I create around me is one of the uplifting attitudes that invite others to feel comfortable and safe. As I grow to new attitudes, I aim to improve my communication, I find it is a vital characteristic of a good leader, the role is almost impossible without strong communication between oneself and not only their peers but also their superiors and those who look to you. I believe because of the role models in my life, my deep understanding of what is required of a leader, and my history of succeeding in leadership positions that I am uniquely prepared to grow and succeed in future education and career endeavors.