Wyn Wiley Photography

I want to share something with you guys I learned from these two.

It’s called the ripple effect.

My friend Emily German is involved in a program here at the University of Nebraska called NHRI which pairs college leaders with outstanding young leaders in Lincoln Public Schools- people like Ashlie. Emily has told me that she’s been unbelievably blessed to have worked with Ashlie over the past three years, working to develop their leadership and who they are as people.

Ashlie is an incredible leader with an unparalleled and just found out she’ll be attending NYU and joining the diving team next year! On the shoot, I could see how much they have rubbed off on each other in the best of ways. It’s amazing to watch people my age giving back to high schoolers and being that extra encouragement as they enter college. Emily is such a good example of a college student that is giving, helpful and involved inside and out of school, and is really there for people. I have no doubt Ashlie will be that kind of a person in college after being mentored by Emily.

And that’s the ripple effect. Pour who you are into someone else’s life. Pour your love, your time, and your heart into helping a young person get to where you are. In the simplest of terms, help a bro out.

And here’s what’s even better- You learn so much about yourself in the process. Emily told me that that she’s discovered so much of who she is through the ripple effect and said Ashlie has impacted her life in an equally positive way giving her joy, encouragement and love right back.

And here’s the best part- Once you change someone’s life that person is bound to go out and change another’s. And so it goes. The love gets passed on. The ripple effect. It’s pretty neat.