YR Stories: Madeline Erdell

It’s hard to know where to begin when describing how YR has impacted my life. I was introduced to YR through TEENPOWER during my first year of high school and served on the TEENPOWER Youth Staff for 2 years. During my first summer as a staffer, I grew as a leader and met people I loved to be around. I continued my involvement by being a member and president of Signature’s TEENPOWER Club.

I began participating in the Teen Advisory Council my freshman year as well and quickly fell in love with the program. My passion for fundraising and service led me to become a Development Committee co-chair for 2 years — the committee that plans and hosts YR’s annual Trivia Night and Big Man On Campus — and then TAC President my senior year of high school. I learned invaluable leadership skills from advising the small committee to later all of TAC.

To say the least, my life has been changed by YR. TAC taught me how to be a student leader in my community and sparked my love for service. TEENPOWER gave me the opportunity to meet lifelong friends and learn empathy. Teen Court allowed me to experience first-hand the importance of second chances and forgiveness. These are just a few of the growth experiences I have gained through YR that seamlessly transfer into everyday life. Each program that YR offered allowed me to focus my attention around supporting my peers, volunteering, connecting people, and being inclusive.

About the Blogger

Madeline Erdell graduated from Signature School in 2020, and now attends Purdue University where she studies Neuroscience with a medical concentration along with a minor in Spanish.