YOUTH LEADERSHIP, AND BEYOND!

By: Mahir Kota, Board Liaison, Generation SERVE Teen Advisory Board

Hi! My name is Mahir Kota, and I’ve been volunteering with Generation SERVE for almost 3 years. In 2017, I participated in the summer Youth Leadership Program, which expanded my understanding of what we teens could do to benefit our community. During the teen program, I realized how empowering Generation SERVE was. I was taught how to raise money through our choice of fundraiser. It was here that I developed my community-oriented mindset. It taught me that giving back to the community is fundamental to how society functions, and it warmed my heart to see the receiving individuals smile when they realized that others care about them. 

From there, I applied to join the Teen Advisory Board (or TAB). As part of TAB, I was given the opportunity to work with other teens to help a cause that we cared about as a whole. One example is when we got to work with teens at the Texas School of the Blind and Visually Impaired. We were asked to lead a session to teach the kids at the school how to fundraise so they could raise money for Guide Dogs of Texas. There was one student who was so excited about fundraising. He had so many wonderful ideas, and it brought a smile to everyone's face to see how keen he was to help his community. Being able to bring so much positivity and support to other people is a fundamental reason of why I continue to volunteer with Generation SERVE.

Just recently, I was elected as Board Liaison of the Teen Advisory Board. This means I’m the teen representative on Generation SERVE’s Board of Directors. I am given the opportunity to be the youth voice on the Board and provide our input to affect the organization as a whole. At Generation SERVE, I have been given a vast array of resources that I would not be given anywhere else. I have also been given unprecedented opportunities to give back to my community that I can get nowhere else in Austin. Without Generation SERVE, I would not have developed the community mindset that now influences many of my actions within our community. I recommend the summer Youth Leadership Program to every teen I know because this program’s effects are so positive. Teens who participate in the Youth Leadership Program are investing in your community by investing in themselves, and there’s nothing better than that.

Mahir leading an activity at Carrying Hope.

Mahir (back row, second from right) with the rest of the 2018-19 Teen Advisory Board.

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​Are you in middle or high school? Do you want to get more involved in service?
Apply now to our summer Youth Leadership Program!
Applications close on April 12th. Submit yours here.

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