As the founder and president of the Newspaper Club at GEMS American Academy, I brought together a team of over 30 students to build a platform that kept our school community in the loop. We didn’t just deliver news. We created a full-fledged website and app that allowed students, teachers, and parents to connect, share pictures, and even participate in polls. We made it so interactive that even students who usually ran from the idea of a newspaper ended up signing up just because of my convincing skills (they probably didn’t even know what hit them).

Building the club from scratch came with challenges. I had to recruit members for this brand-new initiative, which was no easy task, but I convinced over 30 people to join through some good old-fashioned persuasion. This was my first time leading such a large group, which meant figuring out how to navigate and unite everyone toward a shared goal. Talk about trial by fire! One of my proudest achievements was successfully networking with the school’s director and accountants to secure funding for the club. This was the first time the school had allocated such a significant budget to a club, and it was all thanks to a bit of charm, negotiation, and strategy.

Our website and app became the hub of the school community, featuring articles, polls, study resources, and galleries that showcased the many activities happening on campus. We even created sections to highlight other clubs, ensuring they got the recognition they deserved. Leading the Newspaper Club was one of the most exciting experiences of my high school years, combining creativity, leadership, and a whole lot of learning along the way.