Memphis Ambassador Steps Up at Peace Conference

18 October, 2013 - Memphis, TN - Ghandi-King Conference 2013 held at BRIDGES. 

On October 18, 2013, twenty Memphis/Shelby Achieves Ambassadors volunteered at the 10th annual Ghandi-King Youth Conference hosted by BRIDGES.  

At the conference, peace advocates, students, community leaders and activists come together for two days to participate in workshops and listen to speakers.  Participants engage in training to make positive change in the community. 

To make an event of this size successful, many volunteers are needed. Memphis/Shelby Achieves Ambassadors helped out with check-in, lunch, and general activities.

(L-R) tnAchieves Ambassadors Katie Phillips, Paul Hatton, Holly Fields, Meghan Smith, Danny Nguyen, and Megan Hill volunteer at Ghandi-King peace conference.

"tnAchieves volunteers made all the difference," said BRIDGES volunteer coordinator, Johnathan Boswell. "We would not have been able to have a successful conference without them." 

Johnathan also pointed to one student in particular, Gary Clear, who stepped up when an extra workshop facilitator was needed. Gary led the group without receiving any training or prior experience.

Gary Clear, Memphis/Shelby Achieves Ambassador, Class of 2012.

"This was my first time working the conference, but I wasn't nervous... My job was to listen to students explain their situations involving bullying and address them with a young group of students from the NAACP," Gary said about his workshop. 

"I learned at the conference that many students face their problems in different ways, but when they share a common goal they don't have anything to worry about.  Overall, I had a great time at the conference, and I was able to do it because of tnAchieves."

Gary is a Graphic Arts Production major with a double minor in Print Production and Interactive Media at Southwest Tennessee Community College.  He currently has a 3.8 GPA and continues to impress us every time we hear from him. 

Congratulations to our November Student of the Month, Gary!

For more information on becoming a tnAchieves Ambassador, visit our website. Applications open January 2014!