Kayla Randall

Kayla’s Story

I never understood what my niche was until I found myself staring at the planet Jupiter in my science textbook. For as long as I could remember, I always would announce to the world that Jupiter was my favorite planet. I think it being the biggest planet, but also lacking solidity is mesmerizing, something you would never expect. In a way, I think the planet is a representation of me: someone you would never expect. Others could have easily perceived me as someone who had it all. Besides coming from a loving family, I am an athlete and a good student, I am heavily involved in church and community service. However, many failed to realize that I lacked confidence, which conditioned me to muffle my voice.

“You’re a smart girl, but you need to learn how to communicate in order to go far in life.” Those words of my ninth grade Biology teacher haunted my mind with doubts and her intimidating demeanor, led me to the fear of speaking up even more. I was already the girl who never talked during class discussions. I was the girl who never raised her hand to answer the math problem. I was the girl who never shared ideas because of the fear of being judged or not being heard. My ideas were the epitome of Jupiter’s size but I never knew how to release them. Then, in my junior year, I joined Change Makers, an organization that hosts discussions about social issues and mental health. Going to the first meeting was nerve-wracking, because all of the returning members were seniors. The strain in the back of my throat was palpable, and despite my attempts at control, I couldn’t stop tapping my foot. However, as the meeting went on, I felt the warmth of the group members' smiles, and was disarmed as they shared about hardships in their lives. I never realized how much people hide from the world. I never realized how many “I’m fines” were embellishments. The connection I felt with the members due to their honesty, sparked a confident voice within me; I wasn’t the only who feared not being accepted by others.

At the next meeting, I remember pitching the idea of having a board game day to release stress students were going through in finals week. Though I had confidence, there was a small voice of doubt in the back of my mind. However, I received ecstatic responses about how the other members thought it was a great idea. I remember grinning from ear to ear because I never thought people would like what I had to say. After that day, I shared more ideas to the point that I had to be careful to give the floor to others. Change Makers not only laid the foundation for me to allow my own voice to be heard, it led to something else. I discovered another niche in helping people feel validated especially since mental health is such a forbidden thing to talk about in school. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 students suffer from behavioral problems and depression, displaying the need for services. My dream is to use the knowledge I learn from college, full-time in my career. I want to major in psychology in order to balance the importance of academics and mental health within the school system. I want to become that safe haven for people who were once a reflection of me. I used dread Socratic Seminars in AP Language and Composition; now, I am the President of Change Makers. Roy T. Bennett once said, “Comfort zones, where your unrealized dreams are buried, are the enemies of achievement. Leadership begins when you step outside your comfort zone.”

Education

School: Ramsay High School

Expected Graduation: May 2021

GPA: 4.0