How did you get involved in advocacy and government?

In the years since I first became involved with SADD, I’ve had many opportunities to participate in government. While in high school, I had the opportunity to serve as an inaugural member of a youth advisory board for “Think About It,” a peer-to-peer education program from the North Dakota Department of Transportation. When I was a junior in high school, I was blessed to be involved in the passing and signing of North Dakota’s ban on texting while driving and a bill that strengthened the state’s driver’s licensing legislation. These early experiences and hands-on involvement showed me the power of youth voice in government and encouraged me to seek further involvement with the bodies and agencies that help improve the safety of people.

During the summer after my freshman year of college, I took my interests to the next level. As part of my duties as the National Student of the Year for SADD, I participated in an internship with DOT. For a born-and-raised North Dakotan, the idea of spending a summer in Washington, D.C., was thrilling. After a few weeks on the job, I also learned how meaningful the work is. While at DOT, I had the opportunity to go to countless meetings on a wide variety of topics. The education I received about the government’s internal operations and how it interacts with outside organizations helped shape the way I now view our federal system.