Talayah Hudson, a busy high school senior living in San Francisco applied and was accepted to be a part of Outward Bound California’s 2014/2015 Youth Leadership Corps (YLC) cohort. As a participant, she is committed to a monthly service project over the course of the school year. In order to collaborate effectively with her cohort and get to know nine strangers from all over the San Francisco Bay Area, Talayah and the other YLC students partook in a two-week backpacking and rock climbing course in the High Sierra at no cost to them. Talayah took the time during her lunch break to talk about her experience with Outward Bound California:
Outward Bound California:
Hi Talayah! You have been back from your Outward Bound course for a few months now, what’s life been like?
Talayah:
I’ve been busy! I work at a noodle house downtown, I started this year at a new high school, and have been volunteering writing grants as a part of San Francisco’s Youth Empowerment Fund’s Youth Advisory Council.
OBCA:
Wow! That does sound like a packed schedule.What led you to apply for the Youth Leadership Corps at Outward Bound California in the first place?
Talayah:
I started building my leadership skills with Opportunity Impact, a non-profit that offers enrichment programs to low-income, underserved children in San Francisco. This program spoke to me because I was a part of their programs myself. While I was there as a student, the staff offered me so much guidance and support that my grandmother, my guardian at the time, couldn’t offer me. This support that was offered to me proved to be invaluable in my development as an adolescent. As a student who benefited from these resources, I wanted to give back. I wanted to help children get on the right path to chase their dreams that they thought wouldn’t be able to fulfill.
I wanted to be a part of YLC so that I could become a better leader in my family, school and work communities. I feel that the skills that I will learn from the instructors and from the other participants will help me become a better leader.
OBCA:
Have you been able to use anything from your course this summer to help you at your new school?
Talayah:
I’ve learned to be better at working in a group. I used to hate group work–I preferred to get class projects done myself. I had to leave before the end of my course because of an old knee injury. It was a difficult decision for me to leave–I had grown so close to everyone. Luckily, I was invited to come back during the Personal Challenge Event (PCE). I was helped on the hike up and everyone was happily surprised to see me. We all hugged and they told me I smelled amazing–like laundry detergent! Since returning, I can see now how working as a team offers insight and additional support you don’t get working alone.
OBCA:
In the thank you letter you wrote while on course you mentioned being ‘unplugged’. How was that for you?
Talayah:
One of the many reasons I wanted to be a part of Outward Bound was so that I can simply be in the wilderness, without technology. To be unplugged. I feel as if I’m always on my phone or always checking my email, trying to stay updated with the world’s popular culture my friends, and my schedule. I never really get the chance to ditch my iPhone and let those emails in my GMail go unchecked. I think that being able to escape from wifi signals and hike in the Sierra Nevadas and bask in the sun helped me take everything in more fully and focus on myself and the group.
OBCA:
Sounds like a much-needed escape from the digital world! Now that you are a Senior, what do you have planned for when you graduate?
Talayah:
I’ve got big plans! I am applying to colleges in and out of California. I’d like to double major in English and Computer Science and minor in History.
OBCA:
Thank you, Talayah! We can’t wait to see you at your next service project!
