My BBYO journey has created endless memories and new experiences that I will value forever. Last summer, I went with BBYO to Central Europe and Israel on a passport trip. This trip helped me find a new sense of identity and gave me some of my best friends, who I still talk to today. It also helped me find a new passion for BBYO. On the trip, I met many teens who held different positions in BBYO, whether on the chapter, regional, or international level. They taught me how BBYO worked where they lived and showed me new traditions I could bring back to Minnesota with me. From there, I knew I wanted to become more involved with BBYO, so I began finding opportunities to dive deeper into the organization.

I was Council MIT Mom all of last year, and it was such a rewarding position. I had the privilege of finding teens looking for a strong Jewish community and helping them become comfortable in BBYO. I loved sharing my passion for BBYO with new teens and giving them the experience I had when I joined. I also loved getting to know my counterparts from all over the world. I learned so much from them about running a Council and could go to them whenever I needed BBYO advice. As the number of new friendships I had was growing, I also wanted to work on expanding my outreach to BBYO teens, so I made an account on the International Leadership Network and started looking for more ways to share my passion. 

After considering the different options the ILN offered, I decided to apply to the Press Corps because I realized Journalism would be the perfect way to motivate more teens in their BBYO journey. I was accepted to be a writer for The Shofar, and I had so much fun writing articles throughout the year. I wrote about everything from Passport packing lists to Jewish celebrities. I enjoyed writing about BBYO in special and unique ways for the entire order. I had the chance to experiment with my writing styles outside of the classroom, for which I was truly grateful. 

I was also excited about working with the Press Corps at IC. IC 100 was my first convention, and I had no idea what to expect. I had an absolute blast as I got to reconnect with my Passport friends, see my Morim counterparts, and meet new teens from all over the order. It was an experience unlike anything I had ever done, and I truly loved every second of it. I also had the unique opportunity to record a podcast on Table Talk with BBYOInsider. I wanted to learn about a new part of Press Corps, and I ended up really liking it. I found it incredibly interesting to see how a podcast is put together and the behind-the-scenes work to make it run smoothly. While I decided I wanted to stick with journalism during the year, I was excited to have tried something new and learned some new skills. 

In the spring, I attended the Mid-America Regions Spring Regional Convention. It was my first regional convention, and I had so much fun. I had the best time bonding with my region and celebrating our council's accomplishments. North Star blew the term out of the water, so it was incredibly rewarding to celebrate everything we had done throughout the year. I also got to reconnect with some of the friends I had made at IC. This was incredibly special to me because I missed them all more than anything. I loved being with them, and even though we had to say goodbye, I can't wait to see them at the next convention. 

These experiences have made me who I am today. BBYO has taught me many lessons about what it means to be a leader, better the community, value true friendships, and more. As I move into my final year with this organization, I am confident that I will do everything I can to show others the joys of BBYO as it was once shown to me.