By Laurie Hanson
Imagine being a teen, not knowing anyone at your new high school, having come from another city and trying to make new friends. For Kaylie Matthews of Los Alamitos, this was her reality.
It was the summer before her freshman year when she transferred to Los Alamitos High School (LAHS) after having lived in Cypress. It was a challenge for her to meet others, but luckily she had volleyball, which helped her to make new friends and meet some “really nice people,” she said.
“Although I had a few friends at Los Al High School, I still felt like an outcast because mostly everyone else knew each other from elementary or middle school,” said Matthews, who is now 17 years old and a senior at LAHS. “I had to learn to put myself out there and meet new people.”
She went on to say how overcoming this challenge which taught her to be more open and optimistic about friendship. “I kept in mind that one never knows if others are going through the same experience as me,” said Matthews.
And, she went on to accomplish a few notable things while at LAHS. She was recognized with awards through Model United Nations (MUN) for having a GPA above 3.5 during her season on the volleyball team, had become captain of her club volleyball team, and was awarded “Artist of the Week” in photography her freshman year. She also served the community through the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), coached volleyball through the United States Youth Volleyball League, tutored and served as a volunteer at The Youth Center in Los Alamitos. She also serves as one of The Youth Center’s photographers.
Matthews shared about her experience this summer in The Youth Center’s Leadership Academy, which gave her confidence in her goals of attending college while becoming a successful, independent adult.
“The Leadership Academy helped me in a variety of ways, making me aware of things I’m going to have to start doing for myself,” she said. “This included handling her finances, learning about auto maintenance and acquiring basic cooking skills.”
She said her favorite workshop was about career skills where she actually prepared for a job interview. Matthews also learned and reaffirmed her plans for the future in the Academy’s workshop on goal setting. She also enjoyed learning how to cook nutritious meals on a budget in the cooking workshop.
“I learned how to make macaroni and cheese in a slow cooker, make edible cookie dough bites and prepare a handmade salad,” she said. “All of this will come in handy when I’m off to college.”
“I hope to attend a four-year university and possibly do a double-major in computer science and marketing,” said Matthews.
Though she’s unsure of her ultimate career, she’s leaning towards programming and design.
“My parents thought it was really helpful for me to attend the Academy since the workshops were very relevant to my future,” she added. “I also shared with them what I learned about budgeting, credit scores, savings accounts and car maintenance.”
With gratitude, Matthews expressed how The Youth Center Leadership Academy gave her greater confidence in growing up to be a productive and well-informed adult. No longer does she feel awkward in the world as she goes on to make new friends in the future wherever she lands.
“I recommend it to others to help them prepare for their futures,” she said.
The Youth Center Leadership Academy is held every summer and imparts real-world life lessons to young adults who want to prepare for life beyond high school. For those interested in participating, please send an email to info@theyouthcenter.org.