Student’s leadership continues to grow

ELIDA - Betsy Ulrich has been a leader all her life, a trait she picked up from her parents, but it wasn't something she thought much about. That changed when she was selected to attend a recent leadership conference.

"Once selected it became apparent to me that people saw me as a leader. It is a great honor," the Elida High School junior said.

Betsy spent a recent weekend at the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Conference at Wright State University. She was nominated by her guidance counselor.

Betsy heard from various motivational speakers and participated in panel discussions at the camp. Students also did service projects, including cleaning a park and collecting food and other items for a food bank and domestic violence shelter.

"It definitely put me out of my comfort zone," she said. "I went there not knowing a single person. I really learned how important it is to have leaders and how much impact they can make on a project or community."

This wasn't the first time Betsy has been perceived as a leader. She was a member of the Allen Lima Youth Leadership group this past year, the only sophomore from Elida selected. Along with being outgoing, Betsy says a good leader has to work well with and be supportive of others.

"I'm not the type of person who shuts everyone down. I like to build people up," she said.

Betsy's leadership is apparent at school. She is on student council and is vice president of the junior class. She attended the state student council conference last year. She maintains a 4.0 grade-point average.

Performing is also big for Betsy. She is a member of the school's chamber choir and has been in school musicals. She'll attend an acting workshop this summer in Florida through the New York Film Academy. Betsy appeared in her first school musical, "Oklahoma!," in the fifth-grade.

"Since then, I've really liked acting," she said. "And once I got into high school, it became a big interest of mine."

Betsy is active at Lima Community Church, where she works with 4-year-olds on Sundays, and is a member of the worship team. She is a member of Teens for Christ and its ministry team and recently returned from a Teens for Christ boot camp in Canada.

"You get away from the world and get in tune with God," she said of the camp. "You build friendships and a relationship with God."

Betsy is not sure where she'll go to college or what she'll major in, but is certain she wants to give back to the community, maybe by starting a volunteer program.