Inspiring curiosity

It is deeply fascinating to spend time with young people: to watch them grow, to see how their mindsets and worldviews change, how they open up to one another or to themselves. All this happens in the Polish Association for Gifted Youth – and that is why I am here.

The Fund not only enabled me to participate in some thought-provoking classes that my own school would never have been able to offer, but it also motivated me to do other things and get involved in other initiatives, to apply to foreign universities and for research internships abroad. Thanks to the GIFTED Programme my eyes have been opened to the world of countless opportunities and I found the courage to try out new things – my life has not been the same since.

I have decided to become a volunteer for the Polish Children’s Fund because I feel grateful for the inspiration and support I received in the Fund throughout all those years, and for having been given such wonderful opportunities to develop my interests and to meet fascinating people. When I enthuse the young people who attend my classes with a passion for architecture and design, I feel that my journey – which began in the Fund – continues.

Being part of the Polish Children’s Fund means enjoying the company of fantastically motivated people. Those participating in the Fund’s camps – both students and mentors – leave feeling incredibly inspired and intellectually stimulated. When I lack motivation, I try to recall the Fund’s workshops, their lively atmosphere, and all the people I met there – and the drive is back. Inspiring one another in a creative, clever, and joyful way is the true heart of the Polish Children’s Fund.

The most important thing I have been taught by the Polish Children’s Fund is that one should always believe in people’s potential and not judge them by their achievements alone. Instead, our focus ought to be on their interests and on what they have to say. I try to implement these values in my everyday life and – as an educator in the Fund – encourage young people to do the same.

The Polish Children’s Fund is an organisation whose impact on my life cannot be overestimated. It made it possible for me to meet fantastic teachers and like-minded peers with whom I continue to share my experience and collaborate on engineering projects. It is thanks to the Fund that I changed my way of thinking about science and research. The knowledge and skills I acquired also allowed me to develop my entrepreneurial competencies. I was still a university student when I launched and sold my first start-up – and further business opportunities soon followed. I am immensely grateful to the Fund for all the experience and skills it allowed me to gain, as a result of which I have been donating 1% of my tax to this charity for the past 15 years.