Riley Gray

Gray attended the seminar in 2018 as a representative from Spruce Mountain High School. She is currently attending the University of Maine at Augusta for Dental Hygiene. 

She took the time to answer some questions about her Maine Youth Leadership experience and how it has impacted her life. Keep reading to learn more about this outstanding alum.

How do you show the MYL pillar of volunteerism in your daily life?

In my life I always want to be the helpful one. I try my absolute best to help out whenever I can. I am always there to help out when help is needed. To me it’s important to help out and volunteer, not only to be helpful but to give back to my community. When I see an opportunity to help out or volunteer I jump on the opportunity because I want to be able to be as helpful and giving of my time as much as I possibly can. 

How do you show the MYL pillar of character in your daily life?

In my daily life I try my very best to be the best that I can be. Since MYL I have truly worked on my character and have risen above and shown and radiated positivity. In my opinion showing positivity and good character can rub off on those around you and can have a good influence. 

How do you show the MYL pillar of leadership in your daily life?

In my everyday life I work hard on being a leader. I try my best to instill the values of MYL into my everyday life. It's important that I am able to remind myself of not only how MYL changed me when I attended but how I can continue to grow throughout life.  

How would you say MYL impacted your trajectory in life? (the decisions you made, the things you did, etc.)

MYL was a life changing event for myself. It made me really think about what decisions I was making in my life. Particularly MYL being a no judgement zone. While I was at MYL everyone felt like a big family even though I had only known everyone for less than a day. Everyone was so accepting of each other. When I went back to school I wanted to make sure everyone felt included, I wanted to bring that feeling of family back to school. Another way MYL impacted my life was showing myself that I could be outgoing. Before MYL I was more reserved and wasn’t outgoing at all. While at MYL I learned how to be myself and not to be afraid of what people think of me. MYL taught me that I can be whoever I want to be and that has allowed me to open up and show people my true self. 

Did any MYL relationship help you along your way? (JC, SF, AC, fellow alum, etc.) and if so, how?

Everyone who I met at MYL taught me something and gave me life lessons.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?

The legacy I want to leave behind is that I was never afraid to try something new and that I was always there if someone needed me. 

What is your fondest memory from your MYL experience?

My fondest memory from my MYL experience is when I was a JC. This gave me the opportunity to see MYL through a different set of eyes. It was so enlightening to watch the ambassadors growing before my eyes.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

Someone may be surprised to learn that I am at heart a very reserved person. A perfect example of how there are both quiet and outgoing leaders, and that I am in fact both types of leaders. 

What gives you hope?

What gives me hope is that I know that I can do anything that I put my mind to. I believe that in life whatever I pursue and attempt to do I won’t give up until I succeed.

What gets you particularly fired up?

What gets me fired up is passion, when having passion or a true desire to accomplish something I feel that this is the best motivation anyone can give themselves. 

How does your MYL experience impact your everyday work?

MYL has impacted my everyday work by showing me that there are leadership qualities in everyone. It is just helping someone find the leader in themselves that is the most important part. It has also impacted me in the way that I am able to be a more conscious and thoughtful leader. 

If you are a Maine Youth Leadership alum and you’d like to share your story, please email Maria NeCastro at mariatnecastro@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading!

[Published online: 1/11/2021]