GROWINGupintheBayArea,Inoticedthatonlythosewhocouldaffordmusiclessonsandexpensiveinstrumentsweregivenaccesstomusic.Thisdidn'tmakesensetome.IcreatedLessonsforLifetomakelearningmusicaright,notaprivilege.Wematchunderserved (服务匮乏的) students,whootherwisewouldnothaveaccesstoone-on-onemusicinstruction,withvolunteertutorsfromhighschoolsandcolleges.
LessonsforLifestartedoutasacommunityserviceprojectinhighschool.Iwasintent (急切的) onmakingmusicarealityforstudents.Irememberreceivinganemailfromayounggirl,Claire,requestingtoparticipateintheprogram.
Clairehadadisabilityandshedescribedhowlisteningtomusicmadeherfeelconnectedtotheworld.Shehadalwayswantedtoplaytheviolin,butherschooldidn'thaveamusicprogram.ClaireplannedontakingthreebusesfromherhomeinOaklandtoSanFranciscototakelessons.Atthatmoment,IunderstoodIhadtoturnLessonsforLifefromacommunityserviceprojectintoanon-profit.
Atfirst,mycommunitylaughedatthisidea.TeachersandfriendscommentedthatIwassimplytooyoung.Thisonlysparked (激发) myambition.IfIcoulddoit,Icouldshowotheryoungwomenthattheycanstartmeaningfulcompaniesandnon-profitstoo.Inthatmoment,Idecidedtobealeaderandarolemodel,makingtheimpossiblelookpossible.
Afterfiveyears,Iamleadinganon-profitandamapartofarevolutioninmusiceducation.Natalie,thefirststudentIinstructed,isnowintheYouthSymphonyandplansonbecomingaprofessionalmusician.OtherstudentssharesimilarstoriestoNatalie's.Weareteachingourkidsnotonlyhowtoplaymusic,butalsohowtotakeachanceandcreate.
Yetstill,theybegantheirjourneys."Youarereadyforgreatness.Theonlyriskisnottrying.Inmyjourneyofleadership,friendsofallageshaveaskedmehowtheytoocanbuildmeaningfulandsuccessfulcareersforthemselves.Itellthemthatonlytheycanturnthemselvesintoleaders.AsMikeDooleyoncesaid,"Theonethingallfamousachieversinanyfieldhaveincommonisthattheyallbegantheirjourneyswhentheywerenoneofthese.
21.WhatcanwelearnfromthearticleaboutLessonsforLife?___
A.Onlythosewhocouldaffordmusiclessonsandexpen