Amy Nguyen of South High School has worked to drive change in her community since she joined the Safe Streets Wichita program in the fall of 2020 as a youth mobilizer.
“Within my time as a youth mobilizer, I was given the opportunity to talk about issues I am passionate about and learn about the steps I can take to advocate for harm reduction and against substance misuse. Along my journey, I was given the opportunity to be a youth sector representative for the coalition of Safe Streets Wichita. Through this, I received the chance to lead my own “How people can support the youth” session, being able to work alongside phenomenal mentors and leaders, and it gave me the opportunity to now work on a mental health project of my own,” said Nguyen.
Being part of the community and helping others is something Nguyen is passionate about.
“It is extremely important to be involved with your community because the events that goes on in our community affects us and what we do. Being involved with our community will not only teach us viable skills, but we get to meet new people, be proactive, help others, and be aware of what happens in our community,” said Nguyen.
Now a senior at South High School, Nguyen also finds the time to be part of the varsity cheer squad.
“Cheer is my escape from reality. I have been cheering for three years now and it was one of the best decisions I had ever made. Being a part of this team has taught me many things about family, teamwork, and hard work. I get to work alongside an amazing group of individuals almost every single day and each one of them inspires me more than they know,” said Nguyen. “Every single person has their own adversity story and current hardships but when my teammates step foot into cheer, they are a different person. I wish I could express the feelings I have when I am in cheer, but let’s just say it is a feeling that I will never forget after I graduate.”
Nguyen plans to attend the University of Kansas and major in business administration with a minor in economics. She hopes one day to start her own non-profit organization with a focus on youth engagement and leadership.
