Finding My Voice on Stage

Written by Zach

Preparing for the pitch was less about the work itself and more about learning how to lead a group. This summer taught me valuable leadership skills that I know I’ll use for years to come. I learned that when people get to choose their roles from specific options, they take more ownership of the work. I learned that checking in regularly helps keep everyone on track and prevents resentment from building. And I discovered that when giving feedback, less is more - focusing on one or two key improvements makes people more likely to actually make changes.

At first, balancing my own workload with monitoring my group was overwhelming. I felt stressed carrying the same responsibilities as everyone else while also making sure the project stayed on track. But when I spoke up about it, things shifted. My group started to share the responsibility more evenly, and I realized that part of leadership is being honest about what isn’t working.

When it came time to present last year, I’ll admit I was terrified. Walking into Seneca One and seeing the huge stage made my stomach drop. I kept imagining all the people staring back at me. But the moment I stepped on stage, that fear disappeared. I realized I had spent the whole summer preparing for this, and I was ready.

The pitch was unlike any test or in-class presentation I’d ever done. Tests only measure memorization, and school presentations often feel meaningless - your classmates aren’t really listening, and you know it. The pitch was different. The audience was there because they cared about what we had to say. Their feedback wasn’t just about a grade; it showed me that my voice could have a real impact.

That moment taught me something I’ll never forget: when you put in the work, prepare with intention, and speak with confidence, people will listen.

cover photo credit @getfokusdproductions