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| Volkan Yildirim |
One day while I was going to one of my classes at my university, I came across some information regarding YGA.
The information read: "Dreamer enough to believe you can change the world, yet realistic enough to see the obstacles in front of your dreams, we would be honored to meet you". The next morning I asked my professor to excuse me from the class and attended the leadership seminar given by YGA. That was the beginning of this great, fascinating journey of my life.I learned so many great leadership skills while attending the YGA leadership program. |
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As part of our leadership development in YGA, each student participates in a social responsibility project developed by YGA, titled, Read Think Share. I became a moderator at one of the creative libraries built by YGA. The creative library was in Semiha Sakir Elementary School. I thought the program for 13 weeks during the 2007-2008 education period. In June of 2008, I was selected to participate in the YGA Leadership Camp in Istanbul.
Upon my graduation from the university I received many job offers from multinational firms. However,I wanted to teach the Read Think Share program in Rize. I turned down the positions in the firms and decided to got to Rize as a volunteer teacher. I knew this would mean that I would be away from my family and friends for a year and not have the same job opportunities upon my return to Istanbul, but I also knew this would be once in a lifetime teaching experience for me. Going to Rize and teaching this program in the disadvantaged elementary schools, teaching those children to love to read, educating them as leaders, inspiring them to be the best that they can be and learning from them has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.
I will be residing in Rize for the next 6 months. I am teaching the Read Think Share program as a curriculum to 750 students in 5 different elementary schools.
I am also educating the selected university students from Rize University as moderators to teach the Read Think Share program in the 5 creative libraries built by YGA with the cooperation and the support of the Rize governorship. I would like to thank the Rize governorship for their support in making me feel at home.
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| Sümeyra Babacan |
I was born in Denizli in 1985. In 2003 I graduated from Denizli Er-Bakır Fen High School. The same year I entered Bogazici Universities Business Department.
I attended a Leadership Seminar given by YGA in 2005. I then participated as a moderator in YGA's workshop called Read-Think-Share. In 2006 I participated in YGA's International leadership camp which takes place in Istanbul and in USA. |
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Upon my graduation from the academy and my return to Turkey from USA I became the project leader for the Read-Think-Share program
In February of 2008 upon my graduation from the university I went to Denizli as a volunteer teacher to teach the RTS program in disadvantaged elementary schools in the city..
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| Gökhan Meriçliler |
I was born in Izmir in 1985. I have a sister and a brother. In 2002 I started ODTU as an mining engineer.
In 2006 I was accepted into YGA's Leadership Program. In 2007 I attended the International Leadership Camp and upon my graduation from the academy and return to Turkey I decided to take a break from my masters program and go to Adana as a volunteer teacher to teach the RTS program in the disadvanteged schools of Adana. |
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In Adana I thought the program in 10 different schools as a curriculum. With the sponsorship of the Adana Governor and business leaders we built 5 Creative libraries. I had 806 students. I worked with 36 teachers and 10 school principals.
This was the best leadership experience of my life. I met so many great leaders and students. Below are the names of leaders and organizations who have supported me and YGA's RTS program in Adana.
1 - 806 Students
2 - 36 Teachers
3 - 10 School Principals
4 - Adana Ministry of Education
5 - Local private businessess
6 - Organizational Companies
7 - Local and National sponsors
8 - NGOs
9 - Cukurova Universities Department of Education
10 - Local and National Press
11 - Goverment of Adana
During the time I've spend in Adana I learned many valuable lessons to become a socially responsible leader.
On June 1, 2008, 3000 people, families, students, YGA dream partners, leaders from the goverment of Adana and leaders of sponsoring organizations attended graduation ceremonies of students from the Read-Think-Share program.
My experience as a volunteer teacher ended in June 2008. I am now consulting the next group of YGA graduates who will go to different cities as volunteer teachers. I will always cherish this program as one of the best and most valuable leadership learning experiences of my life.
I will continue my volunteership at YGA by taking part in many of the social projects which are on-going and also will take part in many of the social projects to be developed and implemented for a better
Turkey and a better World
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