The Young Leader

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How To Get Published as a Teenage Writer

Once in awhile, you write something for school, a personal blog, or just for yourself that you’re actually proud of.

I’m not talking about the last-minute synopsis of The Great Gatsby that you churned out at 4 AM once you’d finally finished the book- I mean a piece of writing that means something to you on a personal level. These pieces, whether they feature an interest, experience, or opinion, shouldn’t be kept in a journal under your mattress or a Tumblr blog with only a handful of followers. These are the stories that people want to read- and local newspapers know this better than anyone.

Most local papers, and even many larger ones, have columns and sections of the newspaper that feature the work of teenage contributors. The editors of these sections are actively seeking teenage voices- and they are grateful for submissions! These pieces give voice to a generation that is typically absent from news publications, and they are growing in popularity. Worldwide news outlets like the Huffington Post, US News, and CNNall have teen-curated branches.

So, the next time that you’re proud of something you’ve written, get it out there. Send a polite email with your submission and ask to work with an editor to get it ready for publishing. Editors information is nearly always available on the news outlet’s website. Not only will it feel great to get your work out there, but having your work published is an amazing addition to a resume or college application!

Check out a piece written by 18-year-old GLA Alum Mariange Hope Wurbain, who did exactly that. She reflected on her time spent in Ghana on the GLA Children of Africa Program, and made a connection with a local editor to have her work published! Her work was featured in the Cape Cod Times “Being There” column. Way to go, Mariange!

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Are Colleges Ditching Admissions Essays?

Technology is changing our world- and not just the way we spend our free time. Educational institutions are adapting quickly to keep up with technological advances. Some high schoolers take “twizzes” (quizzes on Twitter), complete online discussion boards, and read from iPads instead of textbooks. And now, the college application process is evolving as well!

Just five years ago, you would have been hard pressed to find an application that called for anything other than the standard essay question or personal statement. Now, however, potential applicants are asked to create slideshows, blogs, and videos in order to showcase their talents to admissions committees. James Werner, the Vice President of Higher Education at DecisionDesk.com, finds this a welcome trend. “We live in a technology-driven, interactive world,” says Werner. “If students want to demonstrate their value and if universities want to admit better “fits,” they are both well served by using this readily available technology.”

Take, for example, the project that Caroline Campell (a GLA Ghana alum) was asked to complete for a prestigious scholarship at Tulane University. The assignment was to highlight an issue “of huge personal importance” with a multimedia presentation. Fortunately, Caroline was able to reflect on her life-changing experiences in Ghana, and she created an incredible video highlighting the time she spent at Father’s House. Her video fused creative writing, powerful imagery, and reflection on an issue that she has held close to her heart since her experience in Ghana – – and the scholarship committee loved it.

See Caroline’s inspirational video here.

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Teen Uses Travel Experience to Earn Prestigious Scholarship

When Caroline Campbell, a teenager from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, first traveled with Global Leadership Adventures to Ghana in 2012, little did she know that she would later use her experiences there to compete for a prestigious college scholarship.

Campbell, who is planning to attend Tulane University next fall, had to create a project that demonstrated an issue that she is passionate about. After volunteering at Father’s House International in Ghana, she decided to highlight the inspirational “Great Eight” boys that she met there. The opportunity was “of huge importance to me,” says Caroline. “The Great Eight still inspire me to this day, even though I first met them two years ago.”

Father’s House International rescues and houses children who have been enslaved to work in the fishing villages along Lake Volta- giving them a fresh start and a chance to live full lives. Learn more about their incredible work and the amazing transformations experienced by these boys by viewing Caroline’s project here.

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A Life-Changing, Unexpected Day

“It just goes to show that we have much to learn from the people here about how to be truly human.”   -Matthew Kennedy

When Matthew Kennedy woke up on June 27th, he expected to eat a quick breakfast and head down to a local orphanage in Moshi, Tanzania, where he was volunteering as a part of the Global Leadership Adventures Heart and Soul of Africa program. The warm, charismatic smiles of the children would greet him, and he would work hard playing games with them and helping to fix up the broken-down building that housed the orphans.

Instead, when the Michigan teenager awoke, somber news awaited him.

A prominent member of the community where Matthew and his group were staying, Babu Tomaeni, had passed away at the age of 93. While he and his fellow volunteers were given the option of returning to their volunteer site that day, many instead chose to attend Mr. Munishi’s funeral, hoping to show support for the community that had taken them in and provided them with so much over the previous two weeks.

Reflections on an Unexpected Day

Read Matthew’s incredible reflection on his experience below:

“Today was a bit different from what was officially planned on the syllabus that our parents have read.  

Instead of going to Tulani Orphanage, we decided to attend the funeral of Babu Tomaeni, the grandfather of Agape, one of our local mentors, and the father of Mama Toma, one of the local GLA staff.  This was not just some village funeral that we attended as part of our “cultural learning experience,” but it was an affirmation of our being accepted into the community of Rau Village.  I gave a short speech at the funeral, and I mentioned the fact that every single person in our group who chose to attend the funeral (attendance was not mandatory) did so, not as tourists or even as visitors, but as members of the Tomaeni family.

To sum up the funeral, there is one major aspect to understand.  In Tanzania, everybody in a community attends the funeral of a fellow villager, and this could not have been more obvious than at Babu Tomaeni’s funeral.  After the funeral, Mama Simba told us that 2,000 people had attended the funeral.  The seats were filled, but not with well dressed, hollow attendants who came only because of a sense of obligation.  The seats were filled with people who truly cared about the Tomaeni family and considered Babu Tomaeni to be their own grandfather.  

The warmth with which they welcomed us into their community was truly amazing, and for many of us it was a realization of the compassion for fellow human being that has largely been lost in the hustle and bustle of Western life.

As a GLA group, we created a goal toward the beginning of our trip: to make a positive impact on ourselves and the community, to connect with the community, and to take something from this experience that will impact our lives positively and permanently.  The attendance of this funeral fulfilled this goal in all three parts.  Not only did we give our support – both emotionally and monetarily –  to the Tomaenis, our extended family, but we also affirmed our group as a part of the community through this support.  

Finally, we saw firsthand the beauty and comfort of a community in which everyone genuinely cares about one another  It is this final lesson the I believe will have a major impact on the rest of our lives, and it just goes to show that we have much to learn from the people here about how to truly human.”

Although, as Matthew stated, attendance at the funeral was an unplanned option in an otherwise structured program. It is in these unexpected moments, however, that GLA students truly realize the depth of their experiences abroad, and it is these supremely human experiences that stay with them forever.

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