By Sara Kuse, ACE Field Correspondent and student at Northside College Prep HS in Chicago

Honeybees. How can you take such a seemingly small insect and turn it into something big? How can you take a honeybee, and turn it into a movement?

Step one: Every movement begins with a leader.

Step two: A movement cannot progress without a team.

Step three: The leader must embrace his/her followers as equals, in order to put emphasis not on him/herself but on the movement itself.

Step one:

It started with a bee, one small little bee that inspired me to begin a movement. A movement to show my school and community one tiny little bee’s huge impact. It is an insect often overlooked due to its small size, and sometimes feared for its stinger, but is responsible for more than seventy percent of the world’s crops.

I started with a bee and began a movement to foster not only a sense of environmental awareness, but also a sense of community through the care of honeybees in our school gardens.

Step two:

I first presented my project to ACE as a part of the starter grant application writing process. In the development stage of my project, I was able to receive guidance and support from ACE staff as well as some of my peers. They offered their comments, criticism, and support that helped me to further enhance my project.

It was no longer only about my individual goals, but about the movement as a whole as well. It was their enthusiasm and support for my project that encouraged me to pursue this project even further, knowing that I had a team backing me up as I went about my research.

Step three:

What began as a small little bee ended up with a colony of supporters that have helped me to transform my idea into a movement. An idea, no matter how big or small, cannot be effective without emphasis on the movement itself, not just the leader. I have learned that in order to create a successful change you must be willing to not only have the guts to start it, but also a team to support you.

It started with a bee and ended with a hive, a hive that with the guidance of ACE has begun to buzz with excitement and the promise of change. A movement begins with a leader, but takes a group to make a difference.

ACE’s support of my honeybee project has made all the difference in turning my idea into a reality. ACE has truly inspired me to look out into the world and make a difference.

Stay tuned for more about my honeybee project in my blog next week!

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Sara Kuse is a current sophomore at Northside College Prep HS in Chicago and an intern at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Her interests include golf, Japanese tea ceremony, bees, and cacti.