Newspaper Article

The Pan-American Student Forum has always, since sophomore year, been my activity of choice after school, not only for me but for many other students. This is due in part to the many new friends that are made each year at convention. I also chose to join PASF because I needed a way to let colleges know that I didn't spend my four years of high school behind closed doors, be it in the classroom or in my bedroom.

Extracurricular activities are factors that colleges consider key when looking for a future student. Simply by looking at what a student does with their time outside of school, a college can get acquainted with the student better. When a university is deciding between two applicants and realizes that one student is part of a state organization (and also does community service) they would prefer that student. Pan-Am is one such organization, and if you are looking to stand out from the million-and-one applicants, running for a position as a state officer is the right move.

While on the board, you get to experience what many students our age don't get to experience often, or at all. You get to see how a non-profit organization works, how an organization that doesn't benefit financially handles its revenues and is still able to cover the expenses of the board members that travel. While this may not sound too interesting to everyone, consider this: For every table that is moved from its original location, a fee of ________ is charged to the board. In addition, when you first get together with the other student officers, it will be as if you knew them before meeting them, because getting to know them will only take a minute until you have to prepare flyers and what-not for the annual convention. Board members have the opportunity to travel throughout the year to various locations in the state for their meetings, and with the different locations that you go to you get to work in different environments, like in a high school in Pflugerville or a hotel's board room in Houston, essentially making the entire state your office.

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