Students set bar on service learning

by Aerial Towles ’19  
                        
Students attended a recent conference on volunteerism and presented a workshop.
A group of 16 USN High School students involved in leadership and service learning gathered this week to attend the annual Tennessee Conference on Service Learning and Volunteerism. This event brings both adults and youth from around Tennessee to collaborate and learn from each other's leadership roles and volunteer experiences. 

On Sunday, March 11, they kicked off the Youth Track portion of the conference with an exciting workshop called “Turning Your Passion into Action.” In their leadership and service class, students organized and planned this workshop to empower other leaders with what steps to take to carry out their passions.

Ethan Harville, a participant from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, said, “I’ve attended so many workshops and conferences, and this is, hands down, the best one I’ve ever attended.”

Students effectively engaged their audience by using personal experience surrounding leadership and service while participants both identified their passions and created plans for connecting with others. 

On Monday, March 12 students attended workshops led by accomplished leaders around our volunteer state. In various workshops, students learned tools and skills to use in their own roles at USN and in their communities. One workshop, called "So you think you can lead?" by BRIDGES USA, focused on how to improve as a leader while working in a diverse group setting. 

In attending the BRIDGES workshop, Bella Barocas ’19 explained, “Through a series of interactive activities, we applied our individual leadership qualities to understand the part we play in working towards a common goal within a group. Initially I thought that my leadership style was solely an initiator; however, I quickly learned that in certain situations, it is more productive to step down."

After a long day of workshops and connecting with other student leaders, USN participants reported that their experiences were empowering, inspiring, interesting, informative, and interactive. Students hope to take what they learned and apply it to their various engagements in the community. 

The following students attended the conference:
Anabella Barocas '19
Victoria Christianson Galina '20
Arjun Dasari '19
Haley Harris '19*
Ariel Hong '20
Elijah Hong '18*
Jaran Huggins '18*
Clayton Jelsma '19
Shriya Karam '19*
Hannah Laibinis '19*
Arushi Mehta '20
Neha Mehta '20
Cyntasia Palmer '19*
Amara Payne '19
Katelyn Starks '19*
Aerial Towles '19*
 
*Students presenting the opening workshop "Turning Passion into Action."
Back

More USN News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Remembering Cassandra Teague Walker '67

    Peabody Demonstration School's first African-American graduate passed away September 3, 2025. Cassandra Teague Walker '67 returned to her alma mater many times to share her experiences with young students and is featured on the 21st Avenue garage mural.
    Read More
  • 5 USN students named National Merit Semifinalists

    The National Merit Scholarship Program honors seniors whose PSAT scores show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Congratulations to seniors Darcy Dove, Finch Fleming, Evan Giles, Ismaeel Moskinzada, and Lin Zheng for this honor.
    Read More
  • USN parents peruse rows of pre-loved books during Fall Book Frenzy 2024 in Cheek Gym. The used book and media sale benefits USN's Hassenfeld Library and provides funding for visiting authors.

    Clear, restock your shelves during Fall Book Frenzy

    Thank you to the many families, faculty, and staff who have donated their pre-loved books, games, and puzzles for resale. USNA continues to accept donations. Fall Book Frenzy takes place Thursday, September 25 through Saturday, September 27 in Cheek Gym. This annual used book sale benefits the Hassenfeld Library.
    Read More
Archive
USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.