Sophomore Sarah Shapiro has a history of helping people with her talents. At age 8, sophomore Sarah Shapiro had an organization that raised more than $10,000 for charity. She is now the historian for the school’s speech and debate team. On the team, she qualified for state championships as a novice and even put her speaking skills to use in front of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s board to aid the school’s charter petition. She is also the secretary of the Key Club where she volunteers at numerous community service events.
As evidenced by the numerous activities that keep her busy, Shapiro has always been interested in philanthropy and has always had a strong desire to make the world a better place. She loves being able to work together with people in her community to make a difference, whether that means handing water to someone at a run or helping out elementary students.
“I’ve always just had this fire inside me to make the world a better place, and I know I will do anything to accomplish that,” Shapiro said.
While being on the speech and debate team may not seem like a philanthropic activity from the outset, what Shapiro loves about speech is that it teaches her how to be a better leader, speaker, and friend. She enjoys going to tournaments with her friends and getting to know people in a larger community. She hopes speaking about the things that she cares about inspires herself and others to do better.
Shapiro cares deeply about making the world a better place both on school campus and in outside organizations. Working with programs like IgniteLA helps her achieve that goal.
“In the IgniteLA program, I get to learn about making positive social changes in my community and eventually become a political leader someday. This opportunity is incredibly empowering and I am beyond excited to see where it will take me,” Shapiro said.
In the future, Shapiro hopes to pursue a career in law or politics so she can have her voice and make a difference in the world.
“I know that it sounds really cheesy, but I would love to make changes around me and ensure that I am advocating for the issues that I care about,” Shapiro said.
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