Sophia M., a 9th grader from Bennington, Vermont, first got involved with UP through her middle school’s Getting to ‘Y’ (GTY) team. This year, she deepened her involvement by co-facilitating the Bennington GTY training and leading Personal Power and Community Connections (P2C2) sessions for 5th graders at Pownal Elementary School. We’re so glad she did—Sophia’s warm, engaging presence and her collection of creative group games were a big hit with participants! We recently sat down with Sophia to hear more about her experiences as a facilitator. Here’s what she had to say.*

*Responses have been edited for clarity and flow

Liberty Belote, UP GTY Program Associate: What was it like to build connections with the students you worked with and how do you incorporate that into your facilitation?

Sophia: It was honestly just so much fun. I loved learning about their personal experiences with school. That was really fun, just getting to know them. We incorporated getting to know you questions and games into activities that we did. When we were with the kids in our groups, I tried asking them questions to learn where it could relate to what we were doing or as a way where other kids could relate to it so that they could all get to talking and get to knowing each other since they were two separate classes that were mixing together and some kids may not know the other kids very well.

The first day when I talked to the kids, a lot of them asked me questions. And those questions that they asked, I kind of used the same to ask people. I would hear kids talking about certain music that they like. And I heard other kids talking about the same thing. So I’m like, oh, so if we can share that interest, we can make a connection.

Lib: What excited you most about the P2C2 project?

Sophia: So I was really, really excited to get to hear the voice of the youth at elementary schools. I was really excited to see what they thought of their school community and what they could change and improve because they’re younger kids. I really enjoyed seeing their perspective about what’s happening in their school and what they want to improve. 

Lib: What are some examples of some perspectives that really excited you that they gave?

Sophia: One that I was actually very, like, surprised about was a lot of kids talked about there being more security. We were quite surprised. That was a very big one that we saw. There was a really good idea from this one girl who was talking about bullying and she was saying how she would really like to start, like, a class about bullying and about how to be more friendly with people and more accepting of them, which I really loved and I thought that was an amazing idea.

Lib: What called you to this work? Why does this work matter to you?

Sophia: So when I did my first Getting to ‘Y’  it  was my first time, I really enjoyed it. I was very intrigued. I loved seeing everybody’s perspectives and talking about changes they want to see in their school and what they think is important. They’re the ones who go to the school. They’re the ones who live in that community and seeing their opinions and what they are experiencing and how they want to improve that. I really love it. I find it so important to hear their voices.

When adults let youth hear their voices, they feel like they matter. And that they do care about their opinion. And there is more respect towards that adult who does care about that student’s voice and respects them as well – versus a teacher or an adult in the school who does not care and does not respect the student and doesn’t care about their opinion at all. There’s a major difference in that and when adults do let students speak. I really enjoy that because there’s, like, this connection that goes between the adult and the student. And it’s very nice because the student feels heard and it’s a good feeling to be heard. It’s amazing when you feel heard and respected.

Lib: What are some ways you personally are looking to grow as a change maker and a facilitator over the course of your internship with UP?

Sophia: I definitely want to be more involved in my community and talk more with kids my own age. And I definitely want to become more organized as well.

Lib: What is important about peer connection to you, like what is the impact of that?

Sophia: As the years go on I feel like it does get a little bit more awkward and definitely harder to talk. Because when you’re a little kid you kind of don’t really care about anything really like about how other people are so you just kind of go up to anybody. You’re like “hi, hello, what’s your name?”. But as you get older, it gets harder and people do tend to drift more apart. And that connecting with your peers gets harder. So keeping that connection with people you are around, I do find important. Because you’re in this shared space of your community and it’s really great just getting to know people in your community. Especially in a school. School can be tough. Getting to be able to connect with kids your own age is quite nice and you guys have lots to talk about, lots to discuss, and it’s a way to support each other.

Lib: What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved with UP or the change-making process in general?

Sophia: Definitely, if you see an opportunity take it – even if you are nervous. That’s how I got here. I saw opportunities and I took them. It’s really been amazing getting to do this. I’ve really enjoyed it and I’ve got to learn a lot of new things. I was very nervous when [GTY Advisor] Alyssa first offered [the GTY training co-facilitation opportunity], but then I got to work with you guys and I enjoyed it so, so much. I would also definitely recommend having a notebook or a document where you type out kind of stuff like to get your thoughts just on a piece of paper before when you are doing this kind of work because it’s very nice to get just all your thoughts out somewhere and then go through them and organize them. 

Lib: Do you have anything that you want to add or make sure like you say about either the P2C2 project, the internship or anything else? 

Sophia: I definitely want to thank you guys for giving me this opportunity.  I just truly have enjoyed it and it’s been so wonderful And I’m just so happy I got to do this. It makes me very happy. I love that I’m getting to help make other people make changes in their community. And it’s just been so nice.

Lib: We’re so happy to have you, Sophia.

Photo caption: Sophia (far right) with the Pownal team, and third from left in smaller group.