The year was 2010 when I first found out about Fuel Up to Play 60, the most life changing organization I was proud to call mine. Although the dashboard is super high tech today and the playbook is filled with more inspiring projects than any organization could even dream of trying, Fuel Up to Play 60 remains dedicated to the same mission that attracted me so many years ago: helping kids get active and eat healthy. As a trail blazer to many of the initiatives Fuel Up to Play 60 has implemented, the organization holds a special place in my heart. So, when I was asked recently to represent the program as an Alumni working in communities, I was very excited.
I recently finished my Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Virginia Tech, and I now work for the Town of Culpeper, Virginia as their Town Planner. In this role, I work to ensure that the Town grows efficiently and effectively through community outreach, project development, parks and recreation, economic development, and zoning. My job is fun! Just recently I finished up a design project for a water park! I decided planning was the field I wanted to pursue when I realized how hands on, boots on the job was as far as making our communities better places. The opportunity to take direct action and make visual changes in my community was something that I became drawn to during my time with FUTP 60.
SAP, a supporter of GENYOUth, recently invited me to speak at their SAP One Billion Lives (1Blives) Regional Demo Day, a “Shark Tank” style competition where SAP employees present their proposal for an idea that will impact 1 billion lives for the chance to win start-up capital. As someone who works with the public daily and gets to make changes in communities, SAP valued my insight and invited me to sit on the judge’s panel. In my talk to SAP and in this blog post today, my message remains the same. All changes start as local change. The employees at SAP saw the issues in their communities as opportunities to use their expertise and solve a problem. Fuel Up to Play 60 student leaders get involved at the grassroots level and are able to make great changes from within their communities. Whether the change you are implementing is going to affect 1 billion lives or just 1 life, we are all fueled by the same inspiration- making our communities better places. So, as you continue to be a change makers and grassroots advocate in your home, remember what inspires you to do what you do. And any change, no matter how small, is going to make someone’s life a little bit better.
I want to thank Fuel Up to Play 60 for all that they did while I was in school to help me become a more dedicated leader. I also want to thank the program for continuing to support its students as they are working as adults in communities across the world.
Emma Buchanan
FUTP 60 Alumni
Youth Council 2010-2015
Town of Culpeper, Town Planner
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