Shayla Whitt’s

1. Shayla Whitt’s Leadership Portfolio

2. Who am I? Hi! My name is Shayla Whitt and I am a senior at Fraser High School. I am 18 years old and an active student involved in many school activities. I have been employed at Karter Animal Hospital for 3 years. After graduation, I plan on attending Wayne State University and studying pre-med. After that, I will attend the Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine with hopes in becoming a pediatric neurologist.

3. During my high school career, I have been involved in various clubs and activities, including HOSA, Student Council, Fraser 4A’s, and NTHS. Each of these has helped me to grow as a leader. Being in clubs challenges you. You get to interact with people you normally wouldn’t associate with. In each of these clubs I have held at least one leadership position, whether it be becoming an officer or chairing an event. What has prepared me?

4. What has prepared me? I have been a member of HOSA for 3 years. I am currently the Vice President of our chapter. Being involved in HOSA has been the most influential on my leadership skills. Being VP, I am in charge of all the committee work. I have to make sure that everyone is doing their job correctly and in a timely manner. I am also the go-to person. If anyone has a question, they come and ask me. I also have competed at the Regional and State level Leadership Conferences. I was able to bond with other members and show them my abilities as a leader.

5. I have been a student council representative for all 4 years of high school. I was the class secretary for 2 consecutive years, as well as a co-chair. This has greatly prepared me as a leader. To teachers and students, being in StuCo makes me a leader in the building. I get to plan events and help execute them. Being involved in major decisions teaches me to think carefully and consider the opinions of those around me. I also become a better listener because I have to make my entire class happy with my decisions. What has prepared me?

6. My inspirations… I would have to say that the most inspirational person I’ve had throughout high school is Mrs. Van-I. As my HOSA advisor, she has taught me quite a few things about being a good leader. She is the perfect example of a leader. Running a group such as HOSA plus preparing lesson plans has to be a lot of work. Seeing her juggle all these responsibilities so well is definitely an great influence. Mrs. Van-I has shown me just how easy it can be to lead, you just have to have a little faith in yourself. She motivates me and is one of the major reasons I am pursuing a career in the medical field.

7. Of course, my mom has a key role in preparing me to be a leader. She is compassionate, creative, and a hard-worker. Growing up, she has never let me settle for anything less then my best. Sometimes I wish she hadn’t been so tough on me, but now looking back I know it was for all the right reasons. I wouldn’t be the person I am now if it wasn’t for her. She isn't afraid to take chances and is very out-going. The lessons I have learned from her has helped me be more confident in my leadership abilities. My inspirations…

8. What I see myself in… The leadership position I see myself in for the future is having my own practice as a Pediatrician or being the head Pediatric Neurologist in a leading hospital. I have no doubt in my mind that with my leadership abilities, and if I push myself, that I will be able to accomplish this career choice.

9. In order to further prepare myself as a leader, I will need to keep staying involved in my college and community. I want to join several clubs and possibly a sorority in college. These will allow me to become known around campus and push me out of my comfort zone. You can’t grow as a leader if you’re always doing what you’ve always done. Taking risks is very important. What do I need to do?

10. My strengths… One of my greatest strengths is that I am a hard-worker. I won’t stop until the job is done. I always give my 100% when I am doing anything. I don’t give up easy. Teachers and friends will often give me tasks to do for them because they know I will get it done quickly and with good quality. Being a hard-worker is very important for the future. Medical school is a lot of work an you have to have the drive in order to make it through.

11. My strengths… Another one of my strengths is that I am compassionate. I truly do care about everyone around me, even those whose actions I don’t always agree with, In the medical field, it is important to have compassion. Nowadays, too many doctors just care about their status and how much money they make. I will be the doctor that asks you how your day was and cheers you up when you're feeling down.

12. I would say my greatest weakness is that I am too independent. Sometimes independence is good, but in moderation. I like to take things into my own hands. A lot of the time I won’t let anyone help me. I am afraid that they will mess something up or not do it the way I want them to. While I love being around friends and others, I like to be alone when I work . My weakness…

13. Overcome… Becoming less independent and relying on others will be a big change, but it is something I need to do. I can start by letting others help out with some of the smaller things, ad then working up to giving them a large task. I also will have to work groups rather than by myself. I can begin this with college. Instead of studying alone, I can be in a study group so I van get input and help from peers instead me always doing the work.

14. My weakness... Another one of my weaknesses is that I am very, very, emotional. I often let my emotions control myself and some decisions I make. I am easily upset and will tear up at random moments. It’s really frustrating at times because I can’t control when it will happen. This could be a problem in the future because of my career choice.

15. Overcome… When dealing with patients in the future, I will have to put my emotions aside so I can give them the best possible healthcare. I can’t let my personal feelings and opinions affect my diagnosis or the information I tell them. To do this, I will have to learn to push some of my own feelings aside and focus on those around me.

16. Leader? Leader. This year my leadership skills have grown tremendously. I was once a shy freshmen, and here I am today, holding many leadership positions throughout the building. Thank you for listening and watching my presentation. Being a leader is not the easiest thing in the world. However, with a little work and dedication, anyone can become a leader.