E-Community Activity: Participating in Activities

Send this message to the e-community of protégés and mentors.

Subject: Participating in activities

Many adults who are successful participated in clubs, organizations, sports, or other activities in their schools and/or communities when they were teens. Below are examples of how young people stay involved in their communities.

• The primary activities I have been involved in have had to do with promotion of bike helmets. (high school student with brain injury)
• I am in my school's band and on our Youth Leadership Team. In the past, I was part of the speech team and the Student Council. Being a part of clubs has given me confidence and boosted my self-esteem. I enjoy music, and think it is an awesome feeling to be able to go out and be a part of my school's band to cheer on the sports teams and to contribute to a music concert. (college student who is blind)
• I have participated in flag corps/marching band, winterguard, High School/High Tech, and Beta Club. They have given me a chance to see what it is like to work with different kinds of people. (college student with a learning disability)
• I have been riding in the Little Bit Special Riders, a horseback riding program for disabled people, since I was four years old. In grade school I would always have something to share at show and tell that I was proud of. It was something I could do that not all of my friends could do, and they all thought it was so cool. I made a lot of friends, both disabled and not, that I have now known for a long time. (high school student with mobility and speech impairments)
• I am involved in the drama club at my school. (high school student with a mobility impairment)
• I have been involved in internships. They give me experiences that are needed for jobs. I've also been part of a city hall committee. This helps me know how professional life is. (college student with mobility and health impairments)
• I was involved in sports in high school—as a manager of the football team for four years and even lettering in the sport—and also I was on the wrestling team and lettered in that three years. I loved being a part of a team and supporting and being supported in working hard toward team and personal goals. I loved the camaraderie that the teams offered. (college student who has seizures)

Describe an activity you have been involved in and why it has been important in your life.