When I was in eighth grade, I was searching for a way to turn empathy into action. I often felt powerless to support the people I loved and uncertain about how to make a real impact. All that changed when I was selected as a Project 351 Ambassador.
Project 351 is a nonprofit organization that selects one eighth grader from each of Massachusetts’ 351 cities and towns to lead a movement of positive change in their communities. Carolyn Casey is the visionary and founder of this organization that began in 2011 as a one-day celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy for former Governor Deval Patrick’s vision of the “Beloved Community.” Since that first day of service, more than 5,000 Ambassadors have joined this community, uplifting over a million lives. Guided by the belief that every young person has the power to make a difference, Project 351 equips students to become bridge builders, upstanders, and changemakers in their own towns and beyond.
When I was selected as an Ambassador in eighth grade, I was searching for a way to turn empathy into action. I often felt powerless to support the people I loved and uncertain about how to make a real impact. But from the moment I joined weekly calls with other Ambassadors across Massachusetts, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: hope. Together, we confronted issues like food insecurity, discrimination, and inequity, and we learned the “starfish story”: a reminder that even the smallest acts of service can ripple outward and transform lives.
Throughout my time with Project 351, I participated in clothing drives, created care packages for veterans and troops, and joined Hope & Gratitude Walks to support local non-profits. We partnered with the Boston Celtics Playbook Initiative to lead anti-discrimination workshops for middle school students and created spaces for open dialogue and understanding. These experiences taught me that leadership is not about authority, but about empathy, listening, the courage to act even without all the answers, and faith in the spirit of Ubuntu — our shared humanity.
I believe that service education is one of the most powerful forms of learning we can offer to young people. It teaches lessons no textbook can, such as how to lead with compassion, confront inequities, and work with others towards a shared vision. When students are trusted to make an impact, they don’t just gain skills but also purpose. Service transforms empathy into action, turning reflection into real change. It builds lifelong habits of kindness and civic engagement that ripple far beyond the classroom.
Through these moments, I began to build what I now call my toolbox: the values I carry with me into everything I do. From Project 351, I learned gratitude for the privilege of being part of something larger than myself. I learned compassion as the ability to see others and meet them where they are. I built resilience by finding strength in the face of setbacks and learning that service is not about perfection but persistence. And most of all, I found audacious hope: the belief that optimism is not naive, but necessary for change.
Project 351 didn’t just teach me to serve but it taught me to build bridges between communities, generations, and hearts. In a world that often feels divided, this community showed me the extraordinary power of unity. What I’ve gained from Project 351 can’t be measured in titles or accolades. It lives in the courage to show up, the humility to listen, and the unwavering belief that we rise by lifting others.