I was recently asked How I would change my community in an essay and this is what I ended up with:
If I could change my community in a positive way, I would add 3 programs. I would have a program for college students mentoring high school students for the social aspect, a program with mental health awareness for the mental aspect, and a performance group for the physical aspect. There should be more ways that college students mentor high school students so they are not only more prepared for college but believe they can go. I also believe mental health is underrated in the black community and would like to make sure the risk of mental illnesses is known. Finally for the performance group would encourage more students to not only embrace the arts but also be active.
A mentoring program could positively impact my community because it could increase the number of high school students that see college as an option and help increase college readiness. About 1 in 3 students will grow up without a mentor in their life even though they are very helpful in growth. With a mentor, students are 55% more likely to attend college, and 78% more likely to volunteer regularly. The benefits don't end there though because those students with mentors are also 90% more likely to be a mentor, 81% more likely to be in sports/extracurricular activities, students with mentors are 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class. Having a mentor is extremely beneficial and I believe having a mentoring program would be beneficial. It would help high schoolers to help increase college readiness when the educational system fails them.
Mental health has become one of the most important issues for me in recent years. It is overlooked constantly and pushed to the side until people reach the breaking point. Generation Z has the highest rates of mental health issues compared to all other generations. Studies also have shown that it's not because more people are being diagnosed but the environment Generation Z has grown up in. Data from San Diego State University done by Jean Twenge Ph.D. has shown that mental illnesses aren't very common in other generations as they are in Generation Z. I believe we need to focus more on the issue so that rather than these rates increasing for future generations, they can go down and people can get the help they need. I want to make sure nobody feels they don't have resources to use to better their mental health.
A performance group would be very useful in my community because it promotes uniformity and individualism. Useful skills like working in a group and public speaking can be gained through a performance group. Some may argue about social inhibition being an issue but researchers have proven to be able to conform is a better skill to have sometimes than being an individual. When I was younger I was in Colours performing arts group from middle school till high school and it was a great experience. I was exposed to music I wouldn’t have normally listened too and got to learn from someone who worked in a theater.
In conclusion, I would create these three programs to better my community. I have already planned to make mental health awareness an idea I support so I am going to host events on my campus once a month. I do plan to encourage more students to join the Colours Performing Arts programs so they can have a worthwhile experience. Lastly, I will begin by making a mentoring program on my campus with the high schools in the area of Lincoln University. These plans are all things I want to accomplish before I reach the age of 25. Helping my community is about action, not just discussing plans.
