A Sundre High School student was recently offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by Lions Clubs International.
When Lions Clubs International went searching for a strong young leader to join their influential roundtable discussions at United Nations Headquarters in New York this March, they discovered Kate Jackson, said a press release.
"I was just really excited," said the Grade 12 student, adding that she felt "super lucky."
"It just felt kind of like a fluke to me, that I was picked out of all of Canada to go to this UN meeting."
She attributes her good fortune to the Sundre High School's leadership club and said she could not have done it without the support of her teacher Ryan Beck. He nominated her after he received an email from a Lions Club International representative who had seen online a Round Up story about the local Leo Club, which she helped found when she was in Grade 9. Leo Clubs are a division of Lions Club International.
Jackson is also the president of the school's student union and a representative on the division-wide Students Matter Committee, which works with the Chinook's Edge School Division superintendent as well as central office staff. The modest young adult is also an actress and singer, a highly academic student and an athlete who competes at the provincial level.
But what caught the eye of Lions Clubs International was how Jackson and the Sundre High Leo Club supports women and girls, said the press release.
"Leo Katie will represent the voice of Leos around the world and express the opinions and ideas of her young generation," reads the notification from Emily Burnett, Leo Club program manager.
"We admire Leo Katie's leadership qualities that have not only supported a thriving Leo Club, but also fostered an environment where young women and men feel empowered and inspired to serve."
Jackson told the Round Up she was flattered that Beck vouched for her and said several Grade 12 students who graduated last year also played a great role in gender equality initiatives. There are others who would do an amazing job presenting a youth perspective at the UN, she said, adding she was honoured to be selected.
"It's really good for the youth voice to be at that table because all of these issues that the UN and Lions Clubs International are trying to address are things that are really going to be affecting the youth, and so I think it's important we have a say in the decision-making process," she told the Round Up.
Older generations tend to be more resistant to change regarding issues like gender equality, which is deeply rooted in many places, she said.
"I just can't help thinking of the loss of potential that occurs when gender equality doesn't exist, when girls can't go to school because of societal or cultural norms."
Everyone should not only be allowed but also encouraged to pursue whatever they want to study, but not all countries offer women equal rights and opportunities. Even in developed countries, there's room for improvement, she said.
One influential young woman who comes to Jackson's mind when she thinks about gender equality is 18-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who survived being shot in the head by the Taliban when she was 14 because of her outspoken belief that education is a basic right for all.
"I can't even imagine what she's been through. I think it's so amazing that she's decided to keep fighting. That's something I really admire in her," said the 17-year-old.
"She feels so strongly that she'd risk her life and go all the way with it and try to make a change ó she's just amazing."
Kate Jackson will lend her voice to the discussions taking place during Lions Day with the UN on Saturday, March 12. This involves approximately 700 Lions Clubs International members, UN diplomats and other key international representatives to discuss various challenges facing the global community and help strengthen commitment to serving those in need.
The Lions collaboration with the UN began in 1945 and the organization has held a key consultative role ever since. The UN effort is itemized in a long document called ëTransforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.' Jackson and the other delegates at the March 12 roundtable will be working toward Goal 5 on the broad agenda ó to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
"It's a big task, but I think slowly and gradually we can make a change. Technology is connecting people in a way that can be very impactful in making a difference for people, and when you educate enough people about this they will find their own passion and lend their voice, which leads to legislative changes," said Jackson.
"I'm excited and daunted to be going to the United Nations. Mr. Beck and the Leo Club have been indispensable and the school has always empowered me through these opportunities. The school and the division have been flexible and supportive in allowing us to work on these projects."
For his part, Beck simply wanted to form the Sundre High Leo Club to lead some school and community projects, and to discover some of the global efforts underway to support social justice.
"We wanted the work we'd do to all be fun, but with direct and measurable impact. We researched different organizations that might align with our objectives and philosophy, and we became affiliated with the Lions. They have honoured youth involvement and youth energy, and we are indebted to them," he said.
"The entire school couldn't be more proud of Kate. She is an amazing young lady who inspires all of us and drives us to be better people because of who she is. Sometimes I wonder who is teaching whom, because I've truly learned a lot from her. There is no end to her impact."
When she first helped found the Sundre High Leo Club some four years ago, there were only a few regular members and a budget of $400. Now the club has about 15 per cent of the school's population and a budget of $10,000, she said.
"It's mainly due to the way we run the club," which is for the most part handled by the students with a bit of adult direction, she said, adding students can bring ideas forward.
Everyone has varied talents, and when a group of students get together, they can combine those skills and work together to create a more successful project, she said.
Once she graduates this spring, Jackson plans to work towards obtaining a degree in political science followed by a law degree. Her goal is to influence social justice through an international law firm or non-government organization.
But for now, she's relieved to have completed first-semester diploma exams and is focused on basketball tournaments as well as her first trip to New York City, which she has been preparing for by doing a lot of reading, including articles about inspiring women who have changed the world and by going through UN documents.
"Strangely, a lot of people have been asking what I'm going to wear to the gala dinner, but I'm just leaving that to my friends to figure out for me," she said.
"I'm concentrating on what I'm going to say ó I want to make an impact and make a difference."
