My name is Emily Palm, and I am an 8th grade student at PCMS. I play the violin in my school’s wonderful orchestra and dance three times a week. I am also an anchor on my school’s morning broadcast announcements, and partake in lots of public speaking roles. Theatre is also an important part of my life. I have been in many shows both in and out of school. I originally got involved with volunteering in the Issaquah Highlands shortly after my family moved here. I applied to the Issaquah Highlands Youth Advisory Board to meet new people, and to help make the Highlands an inviting place for all teens. I love the leadership opportunities I get from being on the board and meeting new people at events. I look forward to many more great memories here in the Issaquah Highlands!
If I had to pick a favorite HY event, it would be a very close call, but I would have to say it was our most recent Halloween party. This event was particularly fun for me because I met so many new people who I now see around school. Also, everyone seemed to let loose. Nobody was too afraid to try karaoke, or to dance like no one was watching, which made for a really fun event. My second favorite event would be our Back to School Social. I loved watching familiar faces share their amazing talents on stage, which made for wonderful entertainment. At that event, like the Halloween party, people seemed to be mingling outside of their usual friend groups. People were just going up to strangers and starting a conversation, which is bold, but overall really successful. When I see that, it gives me a sense of accomplishment, because it is really our main goal at the HY for everyone to have fun and make a few friends.
I have learned countless lessons and leadership skills from being on the HY board. I have learned how to mingle with people I normally would be too shy to talk to. Although at first, it may seem intimidating, members on the board learn how to make friends and it creates a really happy and positive environment at our events. I have also learned how to contribute to a group setting. I have still not mastered contributing in meetings, but I am improving greatly. Last, but certainly not least, I have learned how to handle responsibilities maturely and professionally. We are given a lot of responsibility on the board, but we are always given a partner or teammate to help. We learn how to contact business professionals in pursuit of supplies for events. We learn how to tackle projects with a time limit. And as challenging as these may sound, there is always a whole team of people to back you up if you should need help. I am so grateful for the experiences I have had on the Issaquah Highlands Youth Advisory Board, and I am so excited for the future of this amazing board!
