Senior Macy Margherio is one of the teen directors for Operation Snowball, a weekend retreat that is focused on empowering youth and an international AOTD-free program. She has influenced this program with her leadership role and her passion for building support systems through students.

What is your position?

I am a student staff member for Operation Snowball and I am also one of the teen directors for this fall. We help run the whole weekend, we choose the staff. This is the highest position a teen can go.

What is Snowball?

It is a weekend retreat that happens in the fall and in the sprint. It is powered by 360 youth services, which is a counseling organization. You leave on a Friday and get back on a Sunday. We promote teens to be ATOD free, and also wants teens to have a positive mindset, positive mental health, meet a lot of people. It is super fun, especially as a high schooler when life is stressing you out.

Why is Operation Snowball important to you?

Snowball is something very near and dear to me. It has helped me in times where I really needed a support system. It has helped me in times where I didn’t really love myself and I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, so I embraced that love and I tried to give it to other people. Me, personally, I teach others how to be that support system and I feel like in whatever situation that people go through, if they at least have one person that has their back, then they get through anything.

How have you impacted Snowball?

I feel that I am a strong leader, and I will be serious when I need to. But, I also like to find the fun in everything. For my greatest strength, I [would] say my passion for the program.

What is your favorite experience at Snowball?

My first Snowball was very eye-opening. I came to the program not knowing what to expect. I was just someone who needed an adventure. I realized things about myself that I never knew. One thing I always say is ‘snowball opened me up to a love that I never knew existed’. One of the staffers from last year said ‘you can’t get this feeling anywhere else’.