When I think of leadership, I think of motivation, communication, and unification. Leadership comes in many forms - being the tennis Team Captain, Class President, or Drum Major. As a freshman wanting to make a difference in my school community, I recently participated in a class council election. While class council is known to be a powerful medium in sharing voices of leadership, my time in running sparked questions: Did current female leaders in the surrounding school community once share my feelings, or are they unique to just me?
Union County Vocational Technical Schools, shortened to UCVTS, has an environment that fosters many future female leaders who relentlessly achieve their full potential and make their mark through excellence. Through an interview series, I have grasped key lessons on how each of them have created a platform to share their voice. I have been inspired to follow in their footsteps as I apply their winning approaches, mindsets, and thought processes.
My first interview was with Rubina Singh, a senior at Magnet High School (MHS) who has served as Class President for four years. As treasurer of the New Jersey Association of Student Councils, Singh entered freshman year with prior experience in class council but had to step up as high school class president. She made important connections and started a Civics Group through another club on campus, encompassing her spirit of dedication towards fellow students.
Singh sees each new opportunity as an open door to growth. She recalled that each leadership position has taught her to hear every person’s story that comes her way. As she moves forward, she carries a part of their story with her. When Singh first started her Civics Group, which specializes in legislation and politics, it was a difficult task because as a Magnet student, it was expected that her interests would align with technology and design. Being a girl with different interests, Singh remembered that it is important to listen to your own heart and silence negativity as much as possible, reminding readers that someone will always have something to say against you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Ultimately, just as Singh is proud of lifting the Civics Group from its roots and shaping it into what it is today, she encourages girls to feel proud of the impact they are making.
Through all of her experiences, however, she has one central message to girls wanting to get involved in the future: “to connect with people one on one and not rely on popularity.” In her freshman year, when elections took place remotely, Singh fondly reminisces on emailing each one of her classmates. In doing so, she went beyond the horizons of developing surface level relationships; rather she wanted her peers to get to know her on a more meaningful level. Surprisingly, Singh was the only girl running, which to many girls, can serve as an obstacle. With Magnet High School being known for having more boys than girls, Singh’s ability to win her elections proves to girls that with hard work, they can achieve exactly what they aspire to be. As Singh likes to say it, “It’s all about listening to your heart.”
Genesis Maradiaga, a sophomore at the Academy for Allied Health Sciences (AAHS), is a well-rounded leader who holds several positions throughout campus organizations. She serves as the Student Government representative for her class, sits on the Allied Health No Place for Hate Committee, and works as the makeup manager for the Drama Club. Though Maradiaga did not initially set out to take on so many roles when she entered Allied Health as a freshman, she knew she wanted to find a way to get involved. Having served as class president in 8th grade, she aimed to take on a similar leadership position at Allied. Genesis was thrilled when she was elected freshman class representative for her school, AAHS, during the 2022-2023 school year. An imperative key to her success was finding her passion, which she refers to as her “#1.”
Genesis prides herself on being approachable and unbothered by negativity. She believes that self-confidence comes from within, saying that “You control how you feel about yourself and your emotions.” Her advice to aspiring young leaders is to put themselves out there, even if it’s scary. She acknowledges that, “Rejection is part of the process. People will criticize you regardless of your position, but how you react to it determines your leadership.”
These interviews with such influential female leaders reveal that titles do not define a person’s leadership capabilities. True leaders share their vision to uplift others, pursue their passions despite roadblocks, persevere through self-doubt, and stay true to themselves. Rubina Singh emphasized following your dreams no matter how out of reach they may be to you. Genesis Maradiaga stressed being your authentic self rather than conforming to others’ expectations. Through these empowering conversations with aspiring leaders in our community, I have learned that challenges can be transformed into ambition and courage. Their impactful words have pumped me up and molded me into a candidate with thicker skin. Just as I have been touched by their words, I wish my fellow female leaders the very same: with the confidence to tap into their leadership potential. Remember: not even the sky is the limit!
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