With the many global and social issues in our world today, there has been an increase in the need to educate the youth around us. As this generation will soon become the future leaders of the world, education and knowledge will be the key to their success. 

In November of 2020, I and a few other O’Dowd students began brainstorming and thinking of ways to impact fellow students and the youth in our community about various social dilemmas that are prevalent in society. Our initial motivation was sparked when we became aware of the injustices we had witnessed throughout our lives, especially over the summer. In our opinion, Generation Z is filled with the most ambitious and politically driven youth that our world has ever seen. Therefore, we arrived at the name ImpactZ, Impact on Generation Z.  

ImpactZ is a student-led organization rooted in the mission of passionate student volunteers coming together to educate and inspire those in our community. By holding educational sessions with different student programs and schools, we discuss major global issues and partake in various forms of social activism. Whether it’s discussing climate change events, BLM, equality in education, etc., we employ our voices and experiences with like-minded students. With COVID-19 restricting in-person activities, everything is currently through Zoom. Through these meetings, volunteers talk about experiences, current issues, and lead activities and discussions. 

A famous quote that we honor is by Nelson Mandela who states, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This cannot be any more true, as the central goal of our organization is to educate and have students further make a difference in the world. Whether it is for young students or high schoolers, ImpactZ is dedicated to establishing this learning as students-for-students. Studies have shown that youth are more inclined to learning when it is taught by those close in age. Thus, by having passionate teenagers come together to be educated, spread awareness, and present solutions, it is a more engaging way to learn and discuss. These are topics students will not normally learn deeply in a classroom setting, however will with ImpactZ. 

As we continue to hold educational sessions, the next steps will be expanding past online connections and having younger students engage with hands-on work. This means raising money to buy books and educational materials to distribute to students at schools, programs, and even libraries. As ImpactZ first starts in the city of Oakland and directly serves those in the near community, a bigger goal would be to one day expanding globally. With the many passionate volunteers and countless numbers of students who would positively benefit, this near goal will soon become a reality!

Website: www.weareimpactz.org