Kelly Gallagher

Throughout my first year of high school, I struggled. I had to make the big change from a small private school to a much larger public high school. I didn’t really know anyone at my new school, and I was uncomfortable with the change and my new environment. Then I received an opportunity. My school is lucky enough to pick a few students to participate in events and workshops put on by the iBELIEVE Foundation. The summer following my freshman year, I went to my first workshop. My world was flipped, and my life was changed for the better. I learned so much that summer and the summers after. I learned how to put myself out there. I went back to school for my sophomore year with a renewed sense of purpose. I used the communication skills I learned to make friends and connections. I learned how life-changing saying “yes” could be from saying “yes” so many times during the iBELIEVE program. I said “yes” to opportunities that I might not have had the courage to say yes to previously. Most importantly, iBELIEVE taught me that change can be good. Life can be strange and feel like a rollercoaster sometimes. iBELIEVE taught me the importance of preparation and hard work but also the need to think on the fly. You never know how life is going to go so sometimes you just have to go with the flow. iBELIEVE gives delegates a safe place to learn about themselves, our society, and the world we live in. They taught me the majority of the tools I use to be a successful member of my community. I am still using these skills to better myself and those around me. With the courage and confidence I developed while participating in this program, I have found a new love of helping and teaching others. I decided to apply for a RA position at my university so that I could create a safe environment for students just like iBELIEVE does for so many students around Appalachia. I know how nerve-wracking a big change can be, and I hope I can help students find their way just like iBELIEVE did for me all those years ago. The leadership skills iBELIEVE taught me are priceless. The older I get and the more I experience, the more I realize how much iBELIEVE influenced me. The environment and experience iBELIEVE creates is world-changing, and I can only hope that it continues to help and teach the upcoming generations of Appalachia.