On Feb. 7, the 2020 UNA/USA Youth Observer to the United Nations, Jay’Len Boone, came to Mumford High School to meet with the top students leaders from all of the DPSCD high schools.
For his one-year term as youth observer, Boone travels around the U.S. to connect young Americans to the work of the U.N. and to find out what issues youth are interested in. He has traveled to eight countries for his work on poverty and climate change.
Boone is a 21 year-old senior at The University of Texas at San Antonio majoring in global affairs and sociology. He won the Gates Millennium Scholarship in 2016. He answered students’ questions about their own plans for college majors, scholarships and careers.
“If you’re really good at what you’re passionate about, the money will follow you,” Boone said about choosing a career.
He also told everyone to apply for scholarships because they basically free money, but he added there are too many applicants for scholarships that don’t require any work, so students shouldn’t count on those.
“I had to write eight essays for the Gates scholarship, but it was worth it,” Boone said.
Boone mainly talked to the youth about the importance of student government and about making a difference early despite your upbringing.
After the meeting with the leaders from all the high schools, Boone met with Mumford’s student council. He gave them advice on things like planning, getting approval for events, and taking action.
Student council members said he was a tremendous speaker who really listened to them and their problems.
“Because he was closer to our age, it was better than if an older person came in to talk to us. He was very relatable,” said junior Maya Bullock, student council secretary.
