The Young Leader

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5 Inspirational Movies Every Teen Should Watch

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Great movies are like great books. They have the power to change you — the way you think, your aspirations, and your outlook on certain aspects of life.

Once you see a great movie, it resonates with you long after the final scene. Here are five inspirational movies every teen should watch, or in some cases, re-watch.

1. Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer tells the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a teenage girl who lost her arm in a shark attack while surfing near her home in Hawaii. Everyone thought her dreams of becoming a pro surfer were crushed, but Hamilton proved otherwise, and she’s now one of the greatest and most respected professional surfers in the world. This movie shows us that with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible, even against all odds.

2. Remember The Titans

Remember The Titans is another powerful true story about a high school football team at a newly racially integrated high school in the early 1970s. Viewers see firsthand the obstacles that the players and their families faced, and the ways they were able to overcome adversity.

From this movie, we are reminded of the overwhelming power of friendship and kindness even in the most trying of times.

3. Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting centers on a young man working as a janitor at the prestigious MIT. After jokingly solving one of the most difficult math equations in history, he becomes a protege, but his pent up anger and aggression constantly derail his progress because he thinks that he is not worthy of the great things that are happening in his life.

The most important lesson in this movie is that no matter where you’re from, or what your circumstances were growing up, you have the ability to do and be anything you want, as long as you set your mind to it.

4. Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a slightly older movie that most teens probably haven’t seen, and that is precisely why it’s on this list — because every teen should watch it. The movie is about a group of privileged teens at an all-boys boarding school, and they’re introduced to an unorthodox teacher who pushes boundaries, often to the school’s discontent.

This is a great movie with a valuable lesson — think for yourself, and never conform to the thoughts of those around you when your heart is telling you otherwise.

5. The Lion King

The Lion King is the greatest movie ever made. Yes, that’s a biased personal opinion, and you certainly don’t have to agree. However, there is no denying that this movie is quite powerful, especially when you watch it as a teen or adult. The cute lions and fun songs sort of fade away, and the life lessons become clear.

What we learn from this Disney classic is that, in order to truly understand yourself and what is right for you, you might need to get away for a while to explore the world, make new friends, and learn that the world is much bigger than you think. And even if you stray a bit from the path you’re expected to take, what’s meant to be will be — it just takes time.

My guess is that most teens have seen one, two, three, or maybe even all five of these movies. But, regardless of whether or not you’ve had the pleasure of viewing these great films, you should definitely take some time to watch them again, especially if it’s been several years since you’ve seen them. You’ll be glad you did!

Contributed by Ashley Welter

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High School Traditions Teens Shouldn’t Miss

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As your high school experience comes to an end, you’re probably frantically trying to piece together where your next chapter begins. It’s nerve wracking, it’s frightening, and it’s probably one of the biggest decisions you’ve ever made in life. While it’s important to focus on where you’re going next, don’t get distracted and forget to enjoy the moments you are in.

Senior year brings together many memorable experiences that shouldn’t be missed or distracted from including Homecoming Week, Prom, and especially Graduation. You may have seen the same faces for the last four years, some even since middle school or elementary, so spending more time together during high school traditions may seem repetitious, but truly it’s very important to stay connected.

These are some of the moments you will remember throughout your lifetime- and might even be a reason to spark up conversation during your 10 year reunion! Unlike the strict energy of school, during these moments you get to unwind, have fun, and will truly get to know one another. You might think you know everything about everyone you pass in the hallway, but you don’t, and by taking advantage of these traditions, you might even make a new friend that you thought you knew all along.

Homecoming week starts off the reality that most of these familiar faces will merely be memories after a few short months. It’s important to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with one another and see how many acquaintances you can make friends before the upcoming year is over. The more you connect with people, the more life experience you add to your resume, and that is worth more than staying silent in your comfort zone.

Prom is another experience that shouldn’t be missed. There’s too many reasons not to go, but the bottom line is this is the last round of fun you have with the students in your class. Even if you go to be a wall flower, you made the effort to make an appearance and experience what the hype is all about. When you are 40, you won’t be regretting “that one time you went to prom.” Instead, you might be giving your own kid a pep talk about why it was one of the best nights of your life because an unforgettable speech was given or your high school crush asked you to dance.

Graduation is definitely the top tradition not to miss out on. It’s not just a walk across a stage for your family and friends, it’s for you. It’s a confident strut to confirm the hard work and obstacles you have overcome as a young adult. It’s a walk to start the beginning of your transition to adulthood. It’s a moment to congratulate yourself for all that you’ve done and that you do. Take it and run with it, not literally, but figuratively. Decorate your cap, perfect your walk, even your wave, and be proud of everything you have done to get on that stage and accept your diploma. It’s your moment to shine.

After your high school traditions are over, you will be looking back on your memories over many years. You’ll remember how sweet and simple life seemed before you stepped into the fast pace of the world, grateful to have traditional high school memories to share with friends and family.

 

Contributed by Barbara Beran

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Five African Countries That Shouldn’t Be Missed

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Rise and shine! Have you ever wanted to wake up to an epic sunrise? Or take an astonishing trek through tropical rainforests, rippling dunes, jagged mountains, and lush highlands?

Africa, with all its beauty and personality, inspires an ecstatic state of childlike wonder. As the natural birthplace of civilization, it’s accentuated by a rich, diverse culture. And there’s so much more.

For you all you motivated adventurers and passionate volunteers, we present you with 4 African Countries that Shouldn’t be Missed:

  1. Ghana
  2. Egypt
  3. Tanzania
  4. Madagascar

Ghana

The heart and soul of any country lies with its people. Many of you aspiring college students will have the good fortune of rooming with an international student. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have a fantastic roommate from Ghana, and he loves talking about home. Building real relationships with natives can help make any traveling experience much more meaningful and authentic.

What Charles (my roommate) goes on and on about, besides soccer and the latest Chief Keef Album, is how delicious Ghanaian food is.

So if you ever plan to visit Ghana, definitely sample the local cuisine and perhaps even volunteer to help prepare it!

Egypt

You have probably heard of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. What you may not know is that Dubai is actually building life-size replicas of all seven in their Falconcity of Wonders by 2220.

If you want to see the only wonder still standing today, then be sure to check out the Pyramids of Giza.

Tanzania

Now that you’re completely stuffed with Ghanaian food and blown away by seeing the pyramids firsthand, I personally invite you on a hiking trek up Mount Kilimanjaro.

This is the highest free-standing mountain in the world and certainly the highest in Africa. If you’re up for the rigor and adventure, then consider this as your once-in-a-lifetime challenge. If hiking up gigantic mountains isn’t really your thing, then you can still check out the view from Moshi town as you can see below. You can sip your cold beverage in complete leisure as those silly people go running up mountains.

Madagascar

The beautiful rainforests, colorful and lavish plant-life, and the unique variety of animals are plenty of reasons to check out this island country.

If nothing else, visit it because there are lemurs (you know you want to!).

Contributed by Nick Fochtman

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College Application Essay Topics Outside the Norm

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It’s that time again. The yearly struggle to write college application essays is upon us. Given that this is a common problem that most of us will face or have faced at some point or another, I’d like to offer a few suggestions on topics that your fellow applicants probably won’t be brave enough to cover. That is, topics outside the norm.

Are you brave enough to tackle them?

First, the key to writing a great college entrance essay paper is to make it fun and engaging, while also challenging typical thinking on the subject. Go against the grain! College essays can still be entertaining, you just have to figure out how to make them so. The prompts your chosen colleges give may seem boring – it’s your job to make them interesting. Further, entertaining essays catch the eye of admissions committees tasked with reading about the same topic over and over again. Doing something different can make you stand out, and get you admitted.

For example, in one essay, we were asked to write a letter to someone explaining the importance of writing well. Most students chose their brothers or sisters or friends. I chose Stephen King.

In another essay prompt, we were asked to predict the future and how humans will change. I composed an essay suggesting humans would grow hair like monkeys in order to protect them from the sun.

Those are only a couple of examples of the ways you can make even seemingly boring topics fun.

Here are a few more out-of-the-norm college application essay ideas:

  1. Your favorite TV show. You’d be surprised how many academics are devoted to television shows. Buffy: the Vampire Slayer has a huge academic following – with conferences and scholarly papers included. See if you can weave your favorite television show into your essay. You can do the same with songs that may apply to your topic.
  2. What’s the thing you most dislike to do? Hate is a very motivating topic. Find something you really dislike and write about it. Give your opinion, do some research, synthesize your opinion with your findings and see if you change your mind. Writing is the physical manifestation of thinking, and thinking is what college is all about.
  3. Tell your life story – backward. Write your autobiography, including triumphs and failures, from today to your birth.
  4. If you are assigned a topic, twist it into something interesting, as I did with the first two examples. Writing about what you did last summer can turn into quite the amusing story, if given the right perspective.

Now, make sure you don’t skip over the requirements for your essays – sometimes outside-the-box topics can make you forget what you were supposed to write about! But try to have fun and make them personal at the same time. Given the right perspective, these kinds of essays almost write themselves.

Contributed by William Pate

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Five South American Countries Every Teen Should Explore

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Have you ever wanted to travel to South America, but you aren’t sure which countries you should visit? Do you want to truly get to know South American culture, but you don’t know how to accomplish that? Although every country is amazing to visit, here are five South American countries that should be on the top of your bucket list:

1. Peru

Lush, historical, and diverse, Peru has a little bit of everything. Do you love the outdoors? From beautiful emerald forests to awesome beach waves to giant mountains, Peru will leave you breathless. Or maybe you like history? Visit Machu Picchu, a discovered site of Inca ruins, and see beautiful Peru along the hike. You’ll get a taste of the culture, too, when you volunteer with Peruvian children in historic Cusco. It will make your trip unforgettable.

2. Chile

Chile is another South American country that needs be on your bucket list. Though on the globe it looks like a thin strip of land, Chile offers a lot to see and do in person. The country is covered mostly by the Andes Mountains, offering some great snowy landscapes that can’t be missed. When you want to warm up, hop on a boat and journey the short distance to Easter Island, where you can see the large Moai head statues. If you are daring, hike Chile’s Patagonia and see incredible views of mountains.

3. Ecuador

Don’t miss out on Ecuador while you’re traveling through South America! Journey to the famous Galapagos Islands just a short ways from Ecuador’s coast, where you won’t only get to see amazing animals that have developed primarily independently from continental species, but you can work with those animals to protect them. You may not want to leave when you’re done! Ecuador also holds part of the Amazon rainforest. You can experience native cultures and traditions, and see even more wild animals. Awesome and unique, Ecuador is definitely a worthwhile country to see.

4. Bolivia

Bolivia is not often glorified as a South American country that you have to see…but it should be. True, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone to see Bolivia. The incredible mountains and various natural features don’t always make travel easy, but the views are so worth the effort. One thing you don’t want to miss while in Bolivia is the Salar de Uyuni, a vast salt flat. While this doesn’t sound attractive, when wet, the flat transforms into a reflection of the sky, making it a heavenly sight that is found nowhere else on earth.

5) Brazil

Finally, a chat about South American countries would not be complete without mentioning Brazil. In Brazil, there are nearly infinite adventures, outdoor activities, and nature experiences to enjoy. You can visit Iguazu Falls, a magnificent range of mighty waterfalls that you can stroll alongside. Or, if you want to see a “zoo,” head to the Pantanal wetlands where unique animals roam and thrive. And don’t forget that Brazil is hosting the 2016 Olympics, too! With its colorful, spontaneous attitude towards life, Brazil is a South American country that is a lot of fun to visit.

Remember that you could travel to Peru and the Galapagos Islands through Global Leadership Adventures! So which of these cool South American countries do you want to visit the most? Tell us in the comments below!

Contributed by Addie Davis

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