I need to write a unique and creative college application essay for my UC application. Personal insight question: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. my leadership experience include
Raise $1500 to support these children’s treatment and donate 100 blocks of milk and toys for the children
Spearhead marketing campaigns and develop and research content about art and music therapy to help cancer patients to be posted on social media, attracted 1900 followers on FB page
Founder, Co-president
Co-founded and lead a club of more than 20 members to educate the school population on various types of cancers; edit social media posts on Instagram
Organize 1 educational event, invited a professor at radiation therapy school to speak on treatment for cancer patients and careers in healthcare
Coordinate volunteering activities to support cancer research, including participating in local volunteering events like the UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge
Spearheaded 3 fundraising initiatives on handmade crafts; raised $1000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation
I also recognized a cognitive dissonance between society and its treatment of those on the spectrum. In creating the Advocate for Autism Awareness Club, I exchanged information with other like-minded peers to raise awareness about people with autism. Because of the years of observation and experience that I went through with Mark, I have poured all that information into a comprehensive guidebook for wellness. I developed volunteer outings with fellow students to go on shopping excursions to the local shopping center or engage in sports like soccer and basketball to build camaraderie. Through it all, I showed my fellow members that Autism was merely a label that should not be treated with apprehension.
Traditional academic curriculums and government services are ill-equipped to educate the growing complication of Autism Spectrum Disorder. When I learned that most developing autistic children develop depression and anxiety because of the lack of training through social cues, I made it my mission to begin an initiative to have Autism Awareness skits. Not only did I provide ways on how to interact with autistic children but also empowered each volunteer with tools to catch the cues of each situation. I helped to build repertoire by pairing up each volunteer to become a mentor for another autistic child: either through a phone call or through our monthly meet and greet. While establishing a grassroots effort to build awareness for autism was tedious, I realized that I was able to demystify the label for autism and bring about change.
Since middle school, dance has been an enormous part of my life. Hence, being elected as the captain of my high school’s dance team this year was a dream come true. I had looked up to previous captains who embodied strength and empathy and helped me grow out of my shell. I wanted to carry on their legacy.
My term started right as COVID-19 struck my city hard. As the lockdown grew prolonged and coronavirus cases escalated, many students experienced anxiety and low morale, and our group as no exception. Forced to practice virtually, my team struggled. A simple three-step sequence would take three to four times longer to master. The majority of us lacked a full-body mirror to practice in front of, and poor internet connection made it a chore to sync up our moves. The biggest challenge, however, was fully engaging with my team members through Google Meet. Not being with them physically to seeing one another dance made motivating them difficult.
Seeing these challenges hurt my team’s morale, I decided to take a new approach with a solutions-based mindset. I first set about uplifting the team’s spirit, setting up one-on-one meetings and listening to everyone’s challenges and feelings. Together, we defined a more meaningful picture of what we hoped to achieve. To see members’ movements clearly and provide useful feedback, I joined the call on an additional device. To resolve the mirror problem, I asked my team to film themselves weekly and share their reflections with me. To spice up practices, I chose more creative names to better help the team remember our moves. In addition, I incorporated various genres into our routines and gradually increased difficulty levels to challenge and enhance our team’s skills.
Despite a rough start, we pulled together a contemporary hip-hop series for the upcoming school reopening in January. Leading this team taught me that if I stay calm and keep an open mind, I can work out a new vision and excite my team even in the face of uncertainty
influence others and contribute towards common goals in a meaningful way. Always being
interested in leadership roles, I sought an opportunity to lead a group of fellow students to
raise funds for critically ill children at Nhi Dong 2 Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Our goal was to raise funds and provide nutritional support for young patients battling
life-threatening illnesses. With this objective in mind, we organized football matches and sold
tickets to achieve our target of raising $1800. Additionally, we also donated 336 blocks of
milk, which provided much-needed nutrition for these children during their recovery period.
As the leader of the group responsible for coordinating these activities and overseeing
distribution efforts at Nhi Dong 2 Hospital itself, my role involved delegating tasks while
keeping everyone motivated throughout the entirety of the project duration (4 months).
Through clear communication channels I established early on alongside other assisting
volunteers, I made sure each person understood what needed to be done and when/where
all donations were going so that there would be no confusion amongst participating
members. This approach enabled us all to work effectively towards achieving shared
objectives without dispute.
This experience taught me valuable lessons regarding teamwork and community service,
namely, how important it is to work together effectively towards common goals while
remembering the overall impact such achievements can make on the community, especially
for the less fortunate ones. I am proud and appreciative of this leadership experience, as it
showed me how rewarding giving back can be both personally and professionally – qualities
that will undoubtedly serve my academic pursuits and future endeavors. I look forward to
using my leadership skills to further make meaningful contributions towards society’s
betterment.