Ashley Ward has been waiting for an opportunity to voice her opinion for some time now. When a good friend of Ashley came and told her about Occupy Wall Street she rejoiced, “I’ve been waiting for something to happen for years,” she said. “I was personally starting to get afraid that something like this wouldn’t happen in my lifetime.”
Ashley then used her great networking skills to set up her own Occupy Wall Street, with tents which created the first Occupy Wall Street college protest
In High school many kids wanted to experiment sexually like more then ever in a generation I believe. I would hear my friends discuss how they would be with a girl/boy and would be unprotected, which i felt was absolutely ridiculous. I felt as a friend I needed to inform them on making smarter decisions for their health and also help them become aware of the outcome of that risky situation. I spoke to counselors about maybe having a safe sex advocate come and explain about sexual experiences, informing us on the risks, the positives, precautions, and how-to’s. I felt like I needed to be a leader, and influence everyone to be mindful at this age (we have so many years to go.) I know people who died of AIDS and though we had Health class later in high school, we all weren’t to knowledgeable in the beginning; so the earlier the better. Being a leader had some downfalls but every one knew that it made sense for my concern. Some thought I was being too “old” in the sense of being too mature and not having fun. Of course we all want to have fun, but not at a risky cost. Safe sex is what I preached if any sex and I made sure I devoted myself to that concept. Monogamy had to come in play, but what teen would really wanna be monogamous at that age? It is unlikely. When I have a concept I am into I follow it and I expect those close to me to stand by me, you don’t have to agree with it fully but have an understanding on my view. No one really opposed the idea of being unsafe after learning about transmission of infections and diseases and how quick it can happen. It was important to get that message out there because we have the fast guys and girls, who takes action without thinking first.
I possess self-confidence and a positive attitude and outlook, I believe those are two crucial leadership skills needed. I need to work on my emotional intelligence recognizing feelings such as my own and those of others. In my college career I want to work on being a better role model for myself especially. I plan on transforming my tardiness to punctuality, learning how to balance my sleep schedules, study sessions, and playtime. To be successful in my career, regardless of my title or position, I know I have to focus on developing my leadership skills. Effective leaders can add value simply by being present on teams. They are inspirational and motivating. They know the right things to say to people to help them understand what’s needed, and they can convince people to support a cause.
