Hello. My name is Ella Kromm and I am a sophomore student at Durham School of the Arts. I have many passions, including singing, reading, and playing in band. However, one passion I consider to be the most important and rewarding is helping out my community. Durham is such an amazing place, full of diverse people and various opportunities, that I am honored to call this place my home. Junior Leadership Durham (JLD) offers me a chance to give back to my community by educating me on the different parts of my community and how I can help out. In every JLD session, I am able to learn about new information and opportunities in Durham. For example, in one session titled Human Needs/Volunteerism, my fellow sophomores and I got to visit and learn about TROSA, a non-profit that rehabilitates people who struggle with substance abuse by providing comprehensive treatment, work-based vocational training, education, and continuing care. I enjoyed learning about the various job opportunities they provide in the organization and the stories told by recovering individuals. We have had many other sessions throughout the year as well that focus on other aspects of Durham, such as Government/Citizenship, where we shadowed Durham county department heads, Judicial/Law, in which a mock trial was held, and Networking/Career, which gave us an opportunity to meet JLD alumni. JLD has not only taught me about Durham’s innerworkings, it has also allowed me to work together with other kids my age who are from various schools, have unique backgrounds, and are talented in many different ways. Thank you so much for any contribution you make to JLD, every little bit counts towards my goal of $75!