According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, every one in ten people worldwide are affected by poverty.

Thankfully, a young generation of leaders has emerged to help with this problem.

At Prior Lake High School, nearly 400 members are a part of the Junior Optimist club.

Junior Optimist is a student-led club that participates in a variety of different volunteer activities such as PRISM, Catholic Charities, and Feed My Starving Children.

Junior Optimist stems off of the larger organization known as Junior Optimist International. This means, many schools across the country also have a Junior Optimist club. Despite this, the  Junior Optimist club at Prior Lake High School surpasses many of the other schools with the same club.

In 2021, Prior Lake High School’s Junior Optimist won the Junior Optimist International Club of the Year award. Along with this award, it is currently recognized as one of the most active and largest Junior Optimist International clubs.

A core value associated with Junior Optimist is kindness.

Maria Belden, one of the advisors for Junior Optimist along with Dan Steger, emphasizes the importance of kindness by saying, “I would want to be remembered more for the kindness provided to others than personal achievements.”

Junior Optimist not only leaves a positive impact on those in need but also on the participating members.

Emma Heinemann, a member of the Junior Optimist club, describes her experience at Junior Optimist. “Junior Optimist impacted my life in a positive way because its opened many different pathways and opportunities for me to experience, whether it’s leading a volunteer group, going to new places, meeting new people, or trying new things.”

Participating in Junior Optimist is a great way to foster new friendships. With a variety of different activities, members are bound to meet someone new.

Kiera Ring, another member of Junior Optimist said, “Junior Optimist broadened my horizons and connected me with a welcoming community of amazing people I might have never met otherwise.”

One of Junior Optimist’s unique qualities is that it’s student led. Members of the club reach out to organizations and put together a group of volunteers.

This allows the students to deepen their involvement and strengthen communication skills. It’s an important asset that will follow all students into adulthood.

This aspect allows Maria Belden to step outside of her comfort zone. As a parent, she has the tendency to give her teenage kids direction. She said, “This has given me the opportunity to let down my guard a little bit to let them direct.”

Emma Heinemann recounts a moment that allowed her to step outside of her comfort zone. “JOC helped me step outside of my comfort zone after my surgery, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to participate in any events. Thankfully, that was not the case, I was able to find an event that I could participate in and lead it.”

Junior Optimist leaves an impact on the lives of thousands of people, whether it’s through community service, acts of kindness, or being surrounded by a caring community.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to give back, Junior Optimist meets every other Thursday morning in the auditorium at 7:30.

They always welcome more members.