Advice:
Katherine Conway-Turner is President at Buffalo State College.
I grew up in a small town in Missouri and we were very poor. The story I would like to share happened when I was in the 5th grade. Our teacher decided that each student in her class would exchange a gift at Christmas. I worried about this for weeks ahead, because I did not have any money to buy a gift to exchange. A few weeks before Christmas my best friend’s parents gave me my Christmas gift, it was a charm bracelet. I loved it. As the time for present exchange approached, I decided my only choice was to give up my new charm bracelet as the exchange gift. I wrapped it and exchanged it with a deep lump in my throat. The girl who received the gift loved it and wore it often. I soon was able to enjoy the fact that I was able to provide joy to someone else. I believe this experience was the beginning of me developing a sense of generosity to those in need and those around me. When I turned 50 years old, my sisters gave me a very special charm bracelet to bring my story full circle.
So I’d like girls to know that everything that seems difficult or bad does not have to stay that way. And that giving and helping can be better than receiving or getting.