Aadya Gattu, a 2024 NHS Scholarship winner and the recipient of the NHS Character Pillar award. PHOTO COURTESY OF AADYA GATTU

This past summer, I spent a month on a 30-foot pulling boat with 13 others, sailing along the coast of Maine without modern technology—no phones, no GPS—just our crew, our oars, and the vast ocean. Each night, we’d anchor to sleep in open water, only to wake up and row, sail, and navigate our way through the sea once more. As part of the Hurricane Island Outward Bound program, we relied solely on each other and the natural elements, discovering what it truly means to be part of a team.

I learned practical sailing skills, and gained a greater understanding of my communication style, but my most important lesson came after we returned to shore. Our instructor read a poem by Lois A. Cheney. These lines have stayed with me:

“People unimportant to you cross your life, touch it with love and move on.
You find you are made up of bits and pieces of all who have ever touched your life.
You are more because of them, and would be less if they had not touched you.”

Since then, I’ve returned to these lines again and again, uncovering new ways they apply to my life. Now, when I’m asked to reflect on leadership and character, this poem and my journey instantly come to mind.

Shaped by Community

The biggest “piece” of me comes from the community that has shaped me. As the director of outreach and creatives for Youth4Unity, a student-led social justice group, I’ve worked alongside incredible individuals from diverse backgrounds. Together, we’ve organized fundraisers for local breast cancer patients, hosted vigils for school shootings, held queer proms, advocated for student seats on our district’s school board, and even partnered with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to host statewide rallies.

One of my most meaningful roles has been as an Eagle Scout and Senior Patrol Leader in Scouts BSA Troop 172G. I’ve been mentored by resilient women and men who have shown me what responsibility and true citizenship look like. For my Eagle Scout project, I created donation baskets for A Woman’s Place, a domestic abuse shelter in Bucks County, PA, providing essential supplies for workers part of the Medical Advocacy Team. I also joined the shelter’s Young Adult Advisory Board, which inspired me to advocate for a more comprehensive sexual health curriculum in my school district.

Leadership Through Advocacy

A memory I treasure is meeting Gia, a young girl battling cancer, during my Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) campaign. She was our honored hero, the heart of our mission. Inspired by her courage, I led a fundraising team that raised over $23,000, adding to the $45,000 I had previously helped raise as part of another team. Now, as chair of the Junior Leadership Committee for LLS, I mentor other fundraisers and continue to champion the mission. Gia reminds me that leadership is about lifting others and finding strength in collective action, a bit and piece that has stayed with me beyond my interactions with her.

Connecting Advocacy and Policy

Beyond my work in social justice, I’ve explored political advocacy through internships with my congressman, state representative, and district attorney. These roles opened my eyes to the power of connecting constituents’ stories to actionable change. Whether assisting with casework worth millions of dollars or representing the office at events, I saw firsthand the impact of listening deeply to people’s needs.

This commitment carried over into my role with Students for Governor Shapiro, where I organized voter registration drives and canvassed for his campaign. My goal was not just to get people to vote—it was to remind them that their voices matter and that they belong in the democratic process. Advocacy isn’t just about policy; it’s about ensuring that every individual feels heard and valued.

Empowering Others Through Education

Leadership, for me, also means empowering others. As a fellow at my high school’s writing center, I’ve worked with students to unlock their potential, helping them find confidence in their voice. Similarly, as a content editor and intern at MentoMind, a digital, AI-based SAT prep startup, I’ve created educational materials to support students nationwide. These roles reflect my belief in making education accessible to all, regardless of background, so that everyone has the tools they need to succeed.

Embracing the Journey

In college, I’ve continued to build on these experiences. As a campus fellow for the Orange County Democratic Office during an election year, I devoted myself to getting out the vote on campus. As a member of the Undergraduate Law Review, Young Democrats, and educational advocacy groups, I’ve pursued my passion for civic engagement and systemic change.

Leadership is not something we “arrive” at; it’s a journey built from pieces, lessons, and insights collected along the way. I hope that, in college and beyond, I can continue to grow, connect with others, and embrace the mosaic of experiences that have made me who I am.

Aadya Gattu is a freshman Morehead-Cain Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate of Central Bucks High School South in Warrington, PA. She is a 2024 NHS Scholarship winner and the recipient of the NHS Character Pillar award.