SOAR through Leadership stands for students overcoming all restrictions through leadership, Our motto is engage, uplift, achieve. When I think of impact, the youth we work with come to the forefront of my mind. Interacting with the kids and forming a community with SOAR members has been such a deeply personally uplifting part of my growth as a leader. On the side of the boys we work with, it's been amazing to see the subtle changes in how they interact with one another. During our first activity, the gingerbread house, I noticed that they were quick to use negative comments about each other as part of their humor. The younger kids tended to feel dominated by the older kids, and they were relatively quiet. The boys didn’t clearly assign roles or communicate like an effective team. The spaghetti tower challenge was a huge improvement. Since the older kids were given the role of a team leader, they took the activity more seriously. I heard a lot more constructive discussion and open collaboration. The dynamic between individuals shifted as well. Everyone took on a role and valued each others’ contributions. I also saw more interaction with the SOAR members as well. The 007 Heist mission was also a great milestone. I loved seeing how the boys started to respect each other more. They felt more comfortable taking specific roles that fit their personalities and work together towards a common goal. I liked the way groups were established because it avoided people inadvertently excluding some of their group members. Each person had an important piece of the puzzle. The logic based missions were good because it allowed them to develop critical thinking skills together. I really liked how the youth relied on each other and acknowledged each other. Every visit, I’ve always used plenty of micro affirmations with the kids. Seeing them affirm each other is proof that they are modeling good leadership practices. During the debrief, they seemed to start to think about our purpose and our motivations behind SOAR programming. I think as we move into the 2024-2025 year, they will continue to develop key leadership competencies. Another aspect is the impact of the visits on SOAR members. I noticed how coming on the visits and gaining experience working with youth reinvigorated members and fostered commitment. I really liked how we all became more comfortable with each other. Car rides weren’t awkward because we put in the effort to get to know each other as individuals. I have always been a big proponent of creating spaces of collaboration with intentionality. I wanted SOAR to be a robust community of passionate individuals who grow through their time within the organization and exposure to Lafayette Mentors. I am so proud of how new members have taken ownership and initiative to go on visits, voice opinions on activities, and share ideas with others. Squadron leaders have become comfortable guiding others to get the most out of their time with SOAR. I feel grateful for the opportunity to make connections with members. We start each meeting with highs and lows, and it gives us a chance to find a shared understanding. I noticed how after 3 meetings of roundtable highs and lows, people started to remember more about each other’s lives. We would ask how an exam went or about progress on a group project. This showed members that I cared about them as leaders and people. It also made the members more receptive to being vulnerable with each other. 2023-2024 was a great first year, and 2024-2025 will be even more groundbreaking for me as the executive director of SOAR.