This October, YES 2013-2014 participants, placed by ASSE, completed a “Leadership Shadowing Project,” during which students interviewed and shadowed a leader in their host community. Chosen by the students, these community leaders highlighted the diverse forms of leadership across the U.S. From local business owners and nurses to educators and policemen, students and their chosen leaders bonded through their shared experience of leadership.

Below, a few students share their Leadership Shadowing Projects, in their own words:

Mahmoud Ibrahim - Egypt

I went to meet Tom Jeray and his wife Joann. He is a visually impaired man and she is a totally blind woman. They are the owners of the café shop Good Day. He manages his own business by himself. He owns two café shops in two independent buildings owned by the state of Wisconsin. He prepares everything and has almost eight persons work in his business plus his wife. They use a lot of special equipment, assistive technology, adaptive machines and different software. They use talking machines like alarms, clocks, bells, computers, soda machines, snacks machines, candy machines, etc. He does use also some visual equipment like CCTV which can enlarge the printed paper, a special copier machine, money machines, etc. They do use some items in Braille like Braille display, Braille writer, Braille note taker, order machines and so on. They also use some regular machines like coin machine and more. They are very adaptive. I learned how to earn money, manage money, manage my own business, save money, do a lot of stuff like buying, selling, and communicate with customers. I learned how to be more independent and a leader. I learned two new strategies to make products attractive. I enjoyed this day very much and I hope to have this kind of business in the future. I think these kinds of businesses are very important for society because they are specific businesses for blind and visually impaired persons at least by law and it makes people with disabilities feel that they are on the same page with the normal people.

Wahija Irfan - Pakistan
I shadowed my school dean for a day. It was really an awesome experience for me. From this I learn a lot of new things that if I would be at that place so what should I do. I attended class and observed his teaching method that was very good and after that I attended an administration meeting with him. Then we called different students who were having problem in their classes and attendance. One of Mr. Holler jobs is to help teachers in school discipline matters and we had also some discipline issue that he handled and I observed. When the school bell rung we went to back gate to make sure that all the students take their school bus and go save and sound to their homes. After that we had some chat about leadership.

Kunlanart Wichian – Thailand
I did my leadership project with Traverse City police officer (Kelvin) on Friday 4th October, 2013. He works at night since 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. I rode with him in a car; we went around Traverse City to protect people from crimes. We saw a lot of things that happen in this city. Work at night it can be very dangerous, because a lot of crimes occur at night, such as robbery, murder, stolen and drugs. You can see everything you haven't seen before. I feel so much impressive to him and all police officer, because they risk their lives to help people and to make our society to be a better place. I had a lot of good experiences with him. I know and understand about l was more and know how to be a good citizen in society.

Mo’tassem Nairat – Palestinian Territories (West Bank)
While I was shadowing Chris Howard, who is a youth pastor and work in church, we talked about how he is successful in his society, who affects him to be a pastor, what he thinks about his future, whether  he is going to be church pastor or something else, how he affects and helps students or teens in their lives and schools, how his own activities help teens, how reading  the bible help students in their lives, how his job affects his life and what is the most important decision he made in his entire career.  All of these questions were discussed while shadowing him. It was pretty cool and interesting to shadow and meet him, because I love this kind of people who give his life to help teens succeed, and because I love successful people. I learned a lot of things in being a leader such as, giving your time to help people (be helpful), work hard to succeed (conscientiousness), the best ways to communicate with people and persuade them and the best ways to give them your ideas but at the same time entertain them.

Shakira Braimah – Ghana
I had the opportunity to job shadow the vice president for Central Oregon Community College. I would say it was a blessed day for me. I shadowed him because he has knowledge on the career I’m interested in. He studied political science in the university and I would want to major in that field too. I spent a full day with him at his work place observing what a typical day for him is like. He spends most of his time attending board meetings and I had the chance to go for a board of directors meeting with him. It was fun but my best part was having lunch with him. I joined him for a rotary club lunch where I met so many wonderful people. He encouraged me to study hard and be the architect of my own future. He explained to me how growing up in rural Africa can be challenging and made me understand that challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. I was very grateful for him taking part of his valuable time answering all my questions.

Zaha Dabbah – Israel (Arab Communities)
Because I want to be a nurse in the future I decided to follow a nurse in a hospital. Actually the leader of the nursing staff in the ER in the Golden Valley hospital and I spent one day with her, and I learned a lot of stuff because before spending with her that day, I did not know that being a leader is that hard. I thought when you are a leader you don’t do anything you just walk around and you tell people what they should do and you just gave them rules but I was absolutely wrong . To be a leader you should have a strong personality and you must know how everything goes and you should make people trust and count on you. I learned today that the smile is the easiest way to talk to person! Being a leader is kind of a hard job but I know how to do it. Today was one of the days that I will never forget; maybe it was just a one day of following a leader but in that one day I learned lessons for life!