Whitley O'Connor
Follow messageI'm a dreamer, compulsive recycler, and activist. I started a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and facilitating the dreams of deserving, underprivileged children called Wishing Works Inc. over the summer (www.wishingworksinc.com). This summer, along with expanding Wishing Works, I hope to start a social enterprise with the founder of another nonprofit, Povertees. I will likely pursue nonprofits or social enterprise as a career and intend to devote my life to serving others. There are only two things that can truly upset me, disappointing others and seeing people in distress. For some reason I feel compelled to solve all of the world's problems, and what keeps me awake at night is the thought that I might not be able to. I'm a hard guy to figure out; I'm still working on that myself
Extracurricular
- Golf
- Junior varsity academic bowl team
- My team tied for 1st in the season with 2 losses and won the post season tournament, going undefeated
- Student council
- I was involved in student council for 3 years, including 1 in high school
- Math Club
- National Honor Society
- Science Club
- Spanish Club
- Invisible Children Supporter
- I have avidly supported this organization since I was a freshman. I also recently became a member of their latest campaign.
- TOMS Campus Intern/Representative
- I have been a supporter of TOMS for the last couple years, and this led me to apply to become a representative, which I was accepted as for the for the past 2 years
- Falling Whistles Speakeasy
- I have been a supporter of Falling Whistles since I read their online blog as a junior; this led me to become a speakeasy for the organization. I also arranged for the founder, Sean Carasso, to speak at my school. It was a really cool event and inspired a
- Ranch member / Longhorn owner
- I am a member of a longhorn ranch located in Texas, on which I own a few longhorns.
- Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America
- After purchasing my first longhorn I applied for membership in the TLBAA
- Gatikno Lacrosse team
- I compete in one of the three club level lacrosse teams in Oklahoma.
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters fund-raiser
- I was involved in a fund raising event 2 years in a row where we raised money then participated in a round of putt putt.
- Various projects
- I set up for events throughout my 3 years in student council
- Church project at the Exodus House
- My church adopted an apartment at the Exodus House and we cleaned and refurnished it.
- School Service
- I help maintain my schools library after school, helped wash tables, move chairs, take people of tours, and whatever else my school needed. I have 74 hours of school service
- volunteered at hospital
- I volunteered at a hospital for 5 weeks in the summer working in 5 different departments each week
- Volunteered as a camp counselor
- I worked as a camp counselor at a camp I had attended the previous year. I helped the campers when they needed it and directed them where to go, as well as watching over them.
- Speech and Debate
- I competed in Lincoln-Douglas debate and both foreign and domestic extemporaneous speaking. I ranked in the top 10 in the state both years.
- Fraternal Order of Police book keeper
- I helped the FOP check receipts and make sure their bank book was correct so they could file for taxes
- ACT workshop - creator and presentor
- I created an ACT workshop that I presented twice. Once to my grade and again to a camp.
- Recycling
- I started a recycling program at my school, which I now coordinate. I also recycle at home.
- Law and Trial Advocacy at Stanford
- I went to Stanford for 10 days with the Congressional Student Leadership Conference to attend the law and trial advocacy program
- Fired Up About Research Science and Engineering
- I spent 5 days at an engineering camp learning the basics of engineering.
- Povertees
- Povertees is a non-profit from LA which benefits the homeless through hands on service. I am helping them expand to the national level. I am currently working with them to release a representative program next year. Check them out at Povertees.org and may
Experience
- maintenance
- AmeriContact
- 2007 to 2008
- I was contracted to set up new cubicles at a telemarketing company.
- Maintenance
- Columbus Oil
- 2008 to 2008
- I cleared land, moved the business from one building to another, and cleaned the new building.
- ranch hand
- 777 Ranch
- 2007 to
- I work on the ranch that I am a member of whenever I have a break from school, during the summer, and sometiimes on weekends.
Education
- High School
- College
- Vanderbilt University
- to Now
Honors & Awards
-Academic All-State - nominee
-AMC12A - State champion
-American Invitational Mathematics Examination qualifier
-Stride Gum "Rename the gum" contest - national final
Specialties & Skills
Info
Basic
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Last Update:
January 31, 2012
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Gender:
Male
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Birthday:
May 10
Background
-
First Gen Student:
Yes
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Hometown:
ADA
Interests
- Anthropology
- Management
- Archeology
- Area & Cultural Studies
- Deaf Studies
- Demography
- Disability Studies
- Family & Consumer Sciences
- Folklore Studies
- Gay & Lesbian Studies
- International Relations
- Library Science
- Other Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Sociology
- Urban Studies
- Women's Studies
- Undecided
Favorites
- Movies:
Death Race,
Iron Man,
Freedom Writers,
Pursuit of Happyness,
The Great Debators,
Taken,
7 Pounds,
The Hangover,
anything scary - TV Shows:
I go to a strictly academic boarding school where we are not allowed to have televisions, cell phones, or video games. There is a single tv in the basement for us to watch during our free-time, but I rarely go down there. I do catch up on some tv on the w
- Music:
Kanye West,
Atmosphere,
Flobots,
Tokyo Police Club,
Beetles,
Cute is What We Aim For,
Motion City Soundtrack,
Dashboard Confessional,
Girl Talk,
Lil Wayne,
Fort Minor,
Octopus Project,
Starlight Mints,
pretty much anything - Websites:
Worldofgood.com
Kiva.org
Freerice.com
Fallingwhistles.com
Invisiblechildren.com
Tomsshoes.com - Quotes:
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Ghandi |
"Allah hu akbar" - God is Great |
"Shoot for the moon, you might just end up in the stars." - Books:
Fahrenheit 451,
The Graves Are Not Yet Full,
The Road,
Out of Gas
























