Columbia River High student joins FEMA and Red Cross councils to share youth perspectives

A sort of human sponge, Katie Clark has an affinity for soaking up knowledge whenever she gets the chance.

A senior at Columbia River High School, Clark was recently selected to be a member of the 2022-23 FEMA Youth Readiness Council — one of 15 students across the country.

Not only that, she was also selected as one of 13 students to serve on the National Red Cross Youth Council.

The opportunities, she said, will allow her to share young people’s perspectives on disaster preparedness and emergency response – two of her greatest passions – as well as learn first-hand on decision-making at the highest level.

“A lot of teenagers don’t have good access to this information,” Clark said. “I want to help bring the voices of young people to life.”

This won’t be Clark’s first encounter with emergency preparedness, however. She is currently president of the Southwest Washington Red Cross Youth Council and a member of the Clark County Youth Commission.

As a member of both organizations, Clark was able to learn key leadership skills in professional contexts, as well as some of the potential issues presenting challenges for Southwest Washington and beyond. Clark has worked to plan events, drive engagement on social media platforms like Instagram, and distribute toolkits to Red Cross clubs across the country.

Mark Johnson, the Southwest Washington Red Cross Youth Council counselor, recommended Clark for the position at FEMA because of the leadership she had shown locally.

“She has shown great flexibility and creativity during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has allowed the board to not only continue to function, but to thrive,” Johnson said. “She has helped us by continuing to organize high school club meetings, organize blood drives at school, volunteer at veterans events and organize fundraisers, among other things. activities for young people.

A leader in the class

Clark’s passion for this work began when she joined the Columbia River High Red Cross Club as a rookie in 2019 and then applied for the regional youth council. The groups, she said, opened her eyes to the world of international politics and humanitarian law with which the Red Cross deals on a much larger stage.

“There were so many fun and interactive activities,” she said. “Being on the board and seeing other motivated young people from the area who are passionate about volunteering like me was amazing.”

In the classroom, Clark’s teachers felt the same desire to get involved.

“She’s always looking for more,” said Lisa Cavola-Chilcote, a biology teacher in Columbia River High’s International Baccalaureate program, who taught Clark last year. “Having someone who faces challenges with positivity is an asset in the classroom for teachers.”

Cavola-Chilcote recalls numerous instances in which Clark went above and beyond the necessary requirements on homework out of sheer interest in the subject, arranging presentations for freshmen considering taking International Baccalaureate courses at the coming.

“She’s definitely someone I would always like to see come speak to young students because she represents all those things that I want them to know is possible in this program.”

As Clark prepares for an action-packed senior year, she is only invigorated by the opportunity to lean into this new found passion for policymaking. Once driven by an interest in science, this opportunity to peek behind the curtains of climate change and public health policy-making will hopefully provide him with a platform for someday. teaching and leading others, she said.

“I’m so excited for her,” Cavola-Chilcote said. “Learning that she was invited (to join the FEMA Youth Council), it all made sense.”