Changemakers reflection

America is going to be 250 years old on this year’s fourth of July.  This changemakers presentation reminded everyone how America became what it is today. From the people who established our constitution to our new age celebrities that have impacted our society. I found all the presentations educational, not only did I learn something from my classmates, I learned while conducting my own research. This being my second time presenting, I would like to add that I was a lot less nervous. I chose to focus on Benjamin Franklin. It was actually pretty cool digging into his life because he was such an iconic figure, could be considered one of our first celebrities. I spent a lot of time talking about how he used his pen as a weapon. Back then, you couldn't just "go live" or post a thread to start a revolution; you had to be incredibly careful with every word you put on parchment. It made me appreciate how much weight a single document like the Declaration of Independence carried when there was no internet to spread the word. One thing that really blew me away about Franklin was his mind for invention. I always thought of him as just a "constitution guy," but I learned that he actually created the bifocals. As someone who uses bifocals every single day to see clearly, finding that out made history feel a lot more personal to me. It made me realize that changemakers don't just change the laws or the government; they change the way we actually navigate the world physically. Whether it was his words on paper or the lenses in my As the other presentations started moving through the 1800s, It felt like the voice of the country was finally starting to include more people beyond just the founding group. We saw presentations on leaders who were fighting to make sure Jefferson’s words actually applied to everyone, not just a few. I started to see a the 1700s laid down the rules and the big ideas, but the 1800s were about the people who had the guts to point out where those rules were failing. We looked at figures who stood up against slavery and fought for women's right to vote. They wrote about and turned it into a loud, unavoidable demand for justice. By the time we hit the 1900s, everything felt like it was moving at triple speed. This was the era where changemakers became household names because of the radio and TV. We watched clips of leaders speaking to thousands of people, and you could actually feel the emotion in their voices through the old recordings. The 20th-century leaders influenced people through shared experiences and live broadcasts. You could see the "American Dream" being stretched and tested in real-time. Whether it was the Civil Rights Movement or the push for labor laws, the 1900s showed us that once you have the technology to reach everyone at once, change can happen much fast but it also becomes much more dangerous for the people leading the charge. It made me realize that as technology got better, the pressure on changemakers to perform and lead in the spotlight got much more intense. Finally, we reached the 2000s, which was an eye-opening part of the day because we were talking about "history" that I actually remember living through. The presentations on the 21st century showed us that today, anyone can be a changemaker. We don't have to wait for a printing press or a news station to give us a platform, movements can start and spread across the globe in a matter of hours. Today, can send a message in a second, Then we moved on to LeBron James, and as a sports fan, this really hit home. We think of LeBron as a basketball legend, but the we focused on his philanthropy , for example the"I PROMISE" School in Akron. It was amazing to see how he’s using his success to literally rebuild his hometown from the ground up. He’s providing free tuition, uniforms, and even bikes for kids so they have a way to get to school. But the coolest part was that he provides resources for the parents, too, like job placement and GED classes. LeBron is showing that being a changemaker in 2026 isn't just about winning games; it's about breaking the cycle of poverty. It’s like he’s playing a whole different game off the court, one where the goal is helping the next generation succeed. They mentioned Michelle Obama She took the role of First Lady and turned it into a powerhouse for health and education.  It was her way of showing that small, healthy choices can lead to a big life. But more than just the health stuff, she has been a huge advocate for girls' education globally. She’s used her memoir and her public appearances to remind young people, especially girls of color, that their stories matter. Seeing her impact made me realize that modern changemakers are focused on the "whole person"—our health, our education, and our self-worth. She’s been a role model for how to lead with grace while still being incredibly firm about the things that need to change. Looking back on the whole day, from my group’s 1700s deep dive to the final slide on Michelle Obama, I realized that being a changemaker is basically just being "uncomfortable" with the status quo. Whether it was Jefferson sitting in a hot room in Philadelphia or LeBron James opening a school in Ohio, they were all people who saw something that wasn't right and decided to fix it. It was a lot to take in, but it made me feel like history isn't just a book on a shelf. It’s a baton that has been passed down for centuries. Jefferson gave us the tool and the bifocals to see the world better, and people like LeBron, and Michelle are showing us how to use that vision to help others. Leaving the classroom, I felt like the story wasn't over. It’s just our turn to figure out what we’re going to do with the tools we’ve been given.