Rita Dove, UVA English professor and former U.S. Poet Laureate, once said in an interview that “…there are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.” Describe...

Rita Dove, UVA English professor and former U.S. Poet Laureate, once said in an interview that “…there are times in life when, instead of complaining, you do something about your complaints.” Describe a time when, instead of complaining, you took action for the greater good.

Instead of complaining about how cheating leads to unfair advantages in school, I dedicated myself to encouraging others to participate in our community of honor. Entering high school, I was excited to dive into new classes and work hard to build a strong foundation for my future education. However, I soon discovered the competitive atmosphere of high school sometimes created pressures for students to feel the need to cheat to succeed. Serving as an elected representative each of my four years on the Honor Council, I contributed to initiatives that emphasized the Council’s role as an ally for students. We began outreach to remind students of the importance of academic integrity through schoolwide Honor Assemblies and weekly “Moments of Honor,” sharing stories about individuals upholding their honor and inspiring others to do the same. When classes went online during the pandemic, using outside sources to cheat on pledged assignments became easier. Many did not realize the consequences of their actions on their own characters and futures. As an Honor Council representative, I developed initiatives to encourage students to uphold the Honor Code and proposed ways for teachers to structure assessments to discourage cheating, like using secured browsers and testing students on the application of concepts instead of facts easily referenced from notes. My time on the Council has fueled my passion for honor and integrity. As this year’s Honor Council Chair, I am excited to keep finding ways to strengthen trust for the greater good of our school community.