Veeksha Patlolla – Empower And Help Student Ambassador 2021,2022.

The Empower And Help Ambassador Program 2021 has guided me throughout my journey. This was the first time I felt I could use my voice to raise awareness on worldwide issues I was passionate about. I always say, “Small or big; an impact is an impact made.” So, I created a community drive using this program as a boost. This community drive focused mainly on food supplies. I wrote an article to showcase my process behind the drive, “Reaching out to the Community.” In addition to writing my article, I was allowed to peer review others. I was also a part of the newsletter team that wrote Empower And Help’s August Newsletter. It was about ‘Back to school,’ and I contributed by writing the tips and tricks. It was an excellent way to fine-tune my teamwork and collaboration skills. One thing that I was proud of this summer was the Remote Mentorship Program. I had never tutored another student before, but I was excited to work with her. This mentorship allows children who came to the U.S. from immigrant families through a refugee resettlement program to learn and catch up to our education system. My student wanted to learn reading, writing, and math. I had to create a curriculum that suited her level and needs. I have to say that this communication with my student gave me knowledge of the importance of education for children globally; she taught me some things that I will never forget. This summer, I chose to take part in the Creative Writing Workshop, which led me how to write and get in touch with my creative side. We took one step each class and finished the story by the end. These steps are something I will try to keep in mind because they helped me elevate my writing style. This program was the best use of my summer; it gave me new creative ideas, a set of skills, and a purpose. I was able to make a difference, not only in the world but in myself too. 

Link to Creative Writing Article:  Memories-n-Adventures

Returning to Empower And Help to do their 2022 Summer Ambassador Program was a fulfilling experience. The first time I did this program, it was a little different. There were more people and more programs. This time it was a smaller group but just as insightful. I learned so much more about making a fundraiser and how to deal with any obstacles that came our way. I worked on a fundraiser for this year’s program to raise money for leadership programs and holiday cards for the new gift shop. I worked with another ambassador, Aananya, to create and raise awareness about this fundraiser. At first, we had some trouble getting donations. But after working through it and talking to people in person instead of just sending texts, we reached our updated goal in a week!

Along with the fundraiser, we had to write a blog article about the steps we took to reach our goal. As for the holiday cards, it was fun being able to design the graphic for the card but figuring out how to send it digitally was more difficult. We found a solution by putting it through email. Thank you, Empower And Help, for helping me, once again, see my voice to bring attention to social matters and create a difference in the world. I was motivated by a purpose to help others. Growing in knowledge and skills about solving real-world problems and taking action, I am happy to be a part of this fantastic program.