Guest Speaking at a High School
I’ve been wanting to explore more ways to speak with young women and girls about purpose, creativity, and resilience, which led to this opportunity. Now that I’ve been placed on unpaid furlough, I suddenly have more room on my calendar to dedicate to it.
I recently spoke to a high school leadership class, and the teacher told me what students need most is to see themselves represented. That meant I needed to focus less on polished accomplishments and more on how I got here—my actual journey.
As I prepared, I found myself reflecting on the last 20 years and realized I’ve been doing some version of this “job” longer than I thought. With my first communion money, I bought a camera, I got involved in the yearbook in middle school, and journalism in high school. I was always trying to document the world around me. So in a way, it’s no surprise I landed where I am.
Of course, I couldn’t resist leaving them with a few nuggets of wisdom:
Lean into what gives you joy
Be the change you wish to see in the world
Appreciate the simple things—nothing is guaranteed
Then came Q&A, and wow—these high schoolers were next level:
“Have you ever experienced misogyny in the workplace?”
“How did having a kid change your career?”
“Have you ever had to sacrifice what you believe in to get something accomplished?”
Okay, little Andrea Mitchells. I came to share some wisdom, but in the end, I left inspired by their courage, clarity, and curiosity. They’re thinking critically, asking bold questions, and I truly hope they shake up the system. Actually—please, go do it.
