At the age of 5, Aaron Schock started taking control of his destiny. Aaron started working with his siblings and they sold strawberries from their patch. At 15 Aaron took a job off of the farm working at a gravel pit making up to $18,000 a year. He invested the money he made. On his 18th birthday, he bought his first piece of real estate. At 19, Aaron ran against the president of the local school board because he disagreed with some of the school policies. He organized a campaign and along with friends and family went door to door and he won a seat on the school board with 6,406 write-in votes. He earned a four year degree in Finance in two years and started his own business with a few employees. At 22 he was elected president of the school board for one of the largest school systems in Illinois. At 23, he won a seat in the House of Representatives where he passed 18 bills during his time of service. At 26, Aaron was elected to Congress.
Here are the facts:
Research shows that young people are more likely to grow up healthy if they feel a sense of control over the things that happen to them. A sense of personal power gives young people the confidence to embrace positive attitudes and behaviors, and walk away from risky situations and behaviors. About 40 percent of Washington County young people, ages 11–18, feel that they have control over things that happen to them, according to Search Institute’s Attitudes & Behavior survey. Caring adults provide opportunities for young people to make their own decisions.
Tips for building this asset:
Developing a sense of personal power starts by teaching your child practical skills, such as how to change a tire, cook a meal, and sew on a button. In Aaron Shock’s case it started by learning how to grow strawberries. Having personal power means understanding and accepting the things we can and can’t control. Youth can choose to excel in a certain subject, work out a conflict, or choose how to respond to peer pressure. When young people feel empowered, they feel more confident to make their own choices—to get good grades, participate in activities they enjoy, and take action to find solutions to problems.
In Aaron Schock’s case he believed he had enough personal power to face the challenges before him. Where would we be if people like Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, and Betsy Ross had not believed in their personal power to create change. Empower youth to take control and responsibility for the future of their life. Aaron Schock started his journey with a strawberry patch. Where can the journey of our youth begin?
