Miss-Spells and Wedding Bells
By Tori Mirian
When she walked into a crisis center as a 13-year-old in her hometown of Harrisburg, N.C., Morgan Howard discovered her passion. After listening to the residents’ stories, Morgan felt like she could connect with their experiences. For Morgan, community service isn’t simply what she does; it’s what she loves.
Morgan is a rising senior at Hickory Ridge High School. Heavily involved in her school and community, she participates in 12 different activities. While some may call her over involved, she disagrees.
“I like what they all stand for, being a part of something bigger and meeting new students,” Morgan said. “All you have to do is give your time to make someone happy.”
When Morgan talks about helping others, her eyes light up. “I really do enjoy helping others,” she said. “Not a lot of people are like that in our generation.”
Morgan’s love of service has helped shape her dual dreams of becoming a book editor and a wedding planner.
Although Morgan is reaching for two vastly different careers, a common theme unites them: while striving to be a leader, Morgan wants to help others by doing what comes naturally.
“My idea of being a book editor is to make readers more able to connect to the stories,” Morgan said. “I want them to be able to enjoy it more.”
Morgan enjoys reading and views it as an escape. He hopes to use editing to enhance others’ reading experiences.
“I can get completely lost in the world of a book. It’s almost like watching a film,” she said. “I want to make that same picture clearer by helping to make it come to life.”
Reading led Morgan to her goal of becoming a wedding planner after she read The Wedding Planner’s Daughter, the story of a girl named Willa whose mother is a wedding planner.
“I might have seen a little bit of myself in Willa,” Morgan said. “She had to be independent. I was willing to be independent, too.”
With Willa in mind, Morgan wants to coordinate weddings to “make couples’ dreams come true.”
The organization skills required to plan weddings come easily to Morgan. At school, she exercises these in a leadership course. An effortless leader, Morgan wants to inspire others to lend a hand.
“I just want to show people that it doesn’t cost anything to do good deeds,” she said.
At the same time, Morgan continues to learn more about herself.
“I’ve learned that I’m naturally good at working with others and that I am willing to go the extra mile. I have no problem with that,” she said.
Whichever career path she chooses, Morgan is confident that she will be able to assist others.
“Those are my two dreams, reading and helping,” she said.
Morgan is doing what she loves everyday. For Morgan, helping herself includes helping others as well. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you do,” she said. “You just have to do what makes you happy.”