The District 107 Youth Pilgrimage Scholarship Committee received several essays for its contest. The winning essay was written by Bao Nguyen, a junior at Oak Grove High School in San Jose. He’ll spend 2 weeks in the Eastern US with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Pilgrimage, and is very excited for the upcoming opportunity.
With his permission, I am sharing the essay he wrote. The prompt was to write an essay about the importance of citizenship in building a better world.
Citizenship: A Key to Bring Humanity Together
“We must unite because the world is fractured.”
My history teacher answered my question when I asked him about the importance of global citizenship. Perhaps since this is 2024, we witness the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict or the Russo-Ukrainian war, dividing us from our shared humanity. Moreover, these wars not only caused human suffering but also consumed vast resources that could have been used to address global challenges like poverty or climate change, further fragmenting the efforts to build a more just and sustainable world.
The solution to this problem should be the value that my history teacher believes in: unity. Everyone must not divide each other, but unite to make a huge impact. In order to achieve global unity, active citizenship plays a significant role in empowering all individuals to together challenge the status quo and advocate for a brighter future through small, consistent actions.
Citizenship allows us to contribute and collaborate for a positive impact, persuading our government to make decisions based on our common hope for positive change. In 2005, a big worldwide movement called the Make Poverty History launched. It brought millions of people together who wanted to end poverty and hunger. They joined in marches and rallies, signed online petitions, and spread awareness on social media. These actions put constant pressure on world leaders, which led them to double investment into global health and development—an additional 6.2$ billion dollars. By using active citizenship, the Make Poverty History campaign successfully gathered many citizens to push the leaders to follow their common voice for equality. Therefore, citizenship is everyone’s mission because only our leaders can decide to bring a widespread impact. And we can shape their decisions by together taking action to amplify our voice for positive change. Because global challenges demand more than just an individual action, they require the collective power of citizenship to seek the best solutions. Humans become united to advocate for the same ideals that enhance our society as global change comes from unified action at a global scale. But how does this translate to individual experience and the development of future citizens?
Citizenship fosters a sense of purpose and belonging that empowers all individuals to realize their potential and influence their communities. After my sophomore year, I joined SMASH, a summer program dedicated to bridging the representation gap for underrepresented students in STEM. The experience was transformative, largely due to the incredibly strong community SMASH developed. This community demonstrates the very unity needed to address global challenges, gathering students from diverse backgrounds with a shared passion for STEM and a commitment to positive change. Crucially, SMASH recognized that STEM advancement is intertwined with active citizenship, empowering us to become future leaders, address social inequities, and promote civic engagement. Their mission of global impact shapes their supportive community by encouraging the students not to only benefit from the program but also to contribute back to their communities. Its communal bond develops a sense of purpose and belonging that provide students with clearer direction in life and a stronger connection to their communities. More than just training future scientists and engineers, SMASH supports developing engaged global citizens who understand the importance of collaboration and social responsibility to address complex global issues. Therefore, this highlights how active citizenship, through giving back, allows us to recognize our own potential and inspires us to further influence with positive change.
Citizenship is not a passive status but an active movement that everyone should be a part of. As the world faces its current challenges, we need active citizens more than ever. It motivates us to take action and build stronger, more vibrant communities. By embracing our roles as active citizens, we not only contribute to building a better world but also enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. Ultimately, citizenship is the driving force of unity that my history teacher believes in—a collective commitment to shaping a better future through consistent efforts of all individuals.