Growing a Leader Through Community Engagement

OES Student Finds Her Voice Through Her Mentor

Jayda Boston didn't arrive at OES knowing she wanted to make community engagement a central part of her life. That commitment took shape over several years through conversations with nonprofit leaders, student-led fundraisers, and countless opportunities to learn how meaningful change begins with listening. Much of that growth occurred under the guidance of Maria McIvor, who teaches advanced Spanish and serves as the community engagement coordinator for the Upper School.

“Maria has impacted my time at OES because she helped me grow my passion for volunteer and philanthropic work,” Jayda shared. “Through her community engagement activity, I have been able to grow my leadership skills and learn about many nonprofit organizations. This activity has led to me hosting successful fundraisers in the Upper School and meeting and interviewing people from those organizations to decide where our funding would be allocated.” But when Jayda reflects on Maria's influence, she returns to a single moment that had nothing to do with organizing an event or leading a fundraiser.

This spring, Maria invited Jayda to speak at the Mt. Hood Climb Observance Day, an important annual event for the school. The idea of addressing the entire OES community was daunting for someone who describes herself as naturally quiet, but Maria never doubted she could do it.

“She instilled so much love and confidence in me that I had the ability to breathe and use my deep, loud voice,” Jayda recalls. That experience changed the way Jayda sees herself as a leader. Today, she feels more confident speaking before groups, advocating for others, and, as she puts it, “breath[ing] and be[ing] loud.”

As she begins her next chapter this fall at Trinity University, Jayda hopes to continue serving communities through volunteerism and philanthropy, perhaps even creating or working for organizations that address the needs she first encountered through community engagement at OES. She credits Maria not only with introducing her to that work, but with helping her believe she has something meaningful to contribute.

“I anticipate Maria’s impact will lead to me continuing my volunteer work,” she reflects. “Additionally, the confidence that she has helped build in me makes me feel ready to go out and be a loud leader and speak up for what I believe is right.”