The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Kristina C. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Take Action - Volunteer for a Non-Profit Organization
Being the debater that I am, I decided to volunteer somewhere where I could sharpen my abilities. That perfect volunteer opportunity was the SSI Midland Onsite program. I thought it would be great to help new SSI students with the bills that I have already heard and debated before. After I had confirmed my volunteer position, Mr. Visscher called me and asked if I would like to role play as a lobbyist for the committee meeting. “Great!” I thought, “I will even get some more public speaking experience!” So I walked into the doors of the Midland Onsite program without knowing anyone attending, but fully prepared to help out and learn.
At first, being the shy person that I am, I was not quite sure if I was going to be good at helping. Thankfully, after a few minutes in the welcoming atmosphere, I had changed my mind. While students were signing in, I helped make sure that everyone got their name tags, notebooks, etc. During the first caucus meeting is when I really got to help out. I went from caucus to caucus giving pointers and some great arguments. It was a great feeling when many of the students turned their heads whenever I came by and said, "Kristina! Help me!" While helping them with their arguments and explaining the bills in detail, I formed close relationships with many of the teens.
On day two, I immediately went to the VIP meeting for lobbyists. With a brief introduction with lobbyist instructions, we went to meet the "representatives". As we introduced ourselves one by one, I realized that I was the only teen lobbyist. So when it was my turn to talk about myself and my accomplishments, I simply stated that I was a sophomore in high school and that I debated, played piano, and loved to utilize all of my speaking opportunities. Well, everyone thought that it was very funny, and I am sure that many people doubted my abilities, including myself. During the committee meeting, I gave my testimony supporting the ban of embryonic stem cell research, and everything went surprisingly well.
Next came several caucus meetings to prepare ammunition and speeches. For many, public speaking was their biggest fear, but for me, this was second nature. My job during these meetings was to make sure that everyone had their forms filled out and that everyone had good arguments and ammo in their speeches. I also helped those who were not as confident write their speeches. Then, came time to practice, practice, and practice! I had dozens of students give their speeches to me for a confidence booster. After taking speech and debate, I helped encourage and give pointers to many students. Overall, I thought everyone did a great job with their arguments and speeches!
At the final debate, on the house floor, everyone was extremely excited (including myself) to show off what they had learned in the past two days. Mr. Muffett then asked me to be the clerk for the house session; so I read the number of votes for each bill. At the end, I felt that I had learned a lot along with the students. For me, it was a great way to practice my leadership skills and boost my confidence in God’s calling for my life. I had a great time, and would love to volunteer at SSI again.
