As I leave Odyssey, I leave behind a team that took me in last July as an inexperienced writer, a team that changed dozens of times over the eight months I participated, and a team I was blessed to lead. When I was given my Odyssey community at Coe College, I received more than I could have imagined. I was given hope.

When you give a girl an Odyssey community, you first give her a voice. You give her a place to share her thoughts, opinions, and stories. You let her speak like no one else has before.

When you give a girl an Odyssey community, you give her listeners. You give her people who not only want to listen, but also interact and communicate. You give her the chance to start conversations on a huge platform.

When you give a girl an Odyssey community, you give her a place to practice her craft. You let her learn more about style, structure, and presentation. You teach her about intrigue.

When you give a girl an Odyssey community, you give her a place to practice her creativity. She is given the chance to express opinions in new ways and with images and animations. You let her showcase her words and her mind.

And sometimes, she's lucky enough to be given a little more...

When you give a girl an Odyssey community to lead, you first give her intimidation, fear, and anxiety. You give her dozens of questions in her head that boil down to, "Am I good enough?" You give her hours of editing, sharing, and idea-giving. You give her responsibility that she didn't have before. You give her more than she originally signed up for.

But when you give a girl an Odyssey community, you give her a team. You give her support from her team and for her team. You give her confidence in learning more and in leading more. You give her people who want to start conversations, share stories, and stir up thoughts. You give her what she knew she wanted for herself--and now she wants it for everyone else.

When you give a girl an Odyssey community, you give her everything she never knew she needed. You give her hope. When she leaves, she'll leave with all of it and more--only to share it with everyone she meets.