A Sundre student's recent opportunity to speak at a roundtable discussion at the UN solidified her desire to pursue her passion of striving for gender equality around the world.
"I definitely want to be involved in social justice in my future and continue on the path I'm on in making positive and legitimate change, something tangible," said Katie Jo Jackson, a Grade 12 student at Sundre High School.
"I really want to focus on education. It's crazy to me that 62 million girls are unable to attend school for a whole number of reasons. It's just wrong. Helping those girls to attend school is an investment in the economy and social well-being of the whole world. It just makes sense ó it's too bad we haven't reached that point yet."
In February, Lions Clubs International selected the 17-year-old, who plays an active role in the school's student leadership as president of the student union as well as through her engagement in the Sundre High Leo Club program, to represent youth at their influential roundtable discussion at the UN on Saturday, March 12. She was in the Big Apple from Thursday, March 10 to Sunday, March 13.
On Friday, March 11, she took part in a rehearsal that was later followed by the gala that evening. Then, Jackson spent all day at the UN on Saturday, March 12.
"It was really amazing," she said about participating in the roundtable discussion, adding that speaking in front of some 750 people was rather nerve-racking.
"I was really nervous at first, but we had a really good moderator who put me at ease."
After each question, Jackson said she was given the opportunity to speak for a few minutes.
"I brought up the importance of education and early intervention for solving the issues surrounding gender equality."
After being asked how young girls can be empowered, Jackson said she talked about peer mentorship, how beneficial programs like the Leo Club are, and that girls should be encouraged to feed off of one another's energy and passion. She said she also brought up a point she had heard shared on an online forum called TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Talk, which covers a wide variety of topics, regarding how girls should not shy away from getting themselves involved in issues that resonate with them.
"They shouldn't undercut their abilities in everything they do," she said, adding young girls should be taught never to sell themselves short.
However, gender equality issues don't only affect women, she said.
"It's important to involve boys ó it won't be solved if we don't involve boys and men."
Both sexes can be victims of gender inequality and harmful stereotypes. For example, boys and men are far less likely to seek mental health help than girls and women because of the social stigma that paints males who seek help as weak, she said, calling it a double standard.
The most memorable aspect of her visit to New York was "meeting so many inspiring people," including an educator from India who's involved in providing opportunities to girls in that country, as well as a senator from Pakistan, who acted as the roundtable's moderator.
Speaking at the UN was an amazing and totally surreal experience, she said.
"I couldn't believe I was there."
Although her short stay in New York was pretty well filled up with a busy itinerary, Jackson said she was allowed some time to see a few sights and got the chance to check out Times Square and a Broadway show called Something Rotten, a spoof on the Renaissance, she said.
She brought home with her a William Shakespeare shirt from the play as well as a snow globe of New York for her niece, whose favourite place on earth is the Big Apple even though she hasn't been there yet.
"That was kind of nice that we had some time to do some of that as well," she said. However, there wasn't quite enough time to fit a visit to Central Park in the schedule.
"I guess I'll have to go back!"
Her parents, Judy and Tom, were also flown to New York for Jackson's roundtable discussion at the UN, and she said she was proud to have been able to take them on a trip at her age.
"That was really exciting and rewarding. They've never been to New York. It was also nice to have the support; it put me at ease."
Thanks to support from the Chinook's Edge School Division, Ryan Beck, a teacher who played a pivotal role in making Jackson's trip possible by nominating her to the Lions Clubs International when a representative had contacted him after seeing her mentioned in a Round Up article online, was also able to attend.
Overall, she said her experience strengthened her resolve to continue pursuing her path to make positive changes in the world, and that closing the gap between boys and girls in schools will be among her priorities as she moves forward.
With her high school graduation coming up, Jackson said she couldn't believe how fast the past year had gone by. The trip to New York snuck up on her, the Sundre High School Drama Club's production, which she was involved in, also snuck up on her and before long, so will graduation, she said.
But the dedicated student said she feels ready to pursue political science and looks forward to seeing where that road will take her.
