Their Region
Northern Virginia
Reflecting on Being an IMD Youth Leader: Reeve Thomas
I'm Determined Youth Leader Alum
Meet Reeve: Reeve Thomas is a rising senior at Shenandoah University, majoring in music education with a minor in euphonium performance at Shenandoah Conservatory. He aspires to earn a Master’s and a Doctorate in music composition, music theory, and film scoring. His goal is to become a composer and establish a business that teaches middle school students and individuals with disabilities how to use music to support their futures. Reeve’s strengths include building connections and networking within the music industry. He is committed to forming meaningful professional relationships to advance his career. In his free time, he enjoys playing pickleball, running, and golf.
“The photo is taken with my mom, dad, and brother at my last day of my final summit as a youth leader. We were capturing the special memories what i did for the program and to remind myself that always my family will be there to support me every step of the way!”
-Reeve
Questions / Answers from Reeve:
- How did I’m Determined allow you to become more self-determined? How have you led a self-determined life since then?
- “My determination has allowed me to become more confident and passionate. I have collaborated with friends and engaged with professionals and students from around the world, including Australian officials and students in Uganda, through virtual meetings. Recently, I have been advocating for individuals with disabilities. When a new pickleball facility opened, I discussed how college students could benefit the local business and advocated for opportunities for them to play at the club. Before opening, the owners invited me to assess the court, and they played with me several times. As a result, they offered a more affordable option for college students, which was made possible by my commitment to authenticity.”
- What is a memory you have with I’m Determined that stands out to you and why?
- “One memory that stands out to me is when I did my very first panel. I didn’t know at the time that top officials from the state department of education wanted to meet me after my presentation. That was an honor I’ll never forget. Another important memory is of my colleague Garvin Rodrigue and me wanting to help people with disabilities connect and socialize in new ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we started unofficial IMD social gatherings once a month, just the two of us, to show how much I’m Determined meant to us. We hoped to set new expectations for IMD youth leaders and better serve our disability community at local, state, national, and international levels.”
- If you could say something to your younger self (before discovering I’m Determined) what advice would you give them? How have you grown since then?
- “Always look for future opportunities to grow. When I first heard about I’m Determined, I turned it down twice because I thought I didn’t need it. Looking back, I really regret that. When I finally applied, I expected it to be interesting, but it turned out to be something truly special. Through this experience, I got to meet people and represent IMD at local, state, and international events, showing how self-determination can help everyone, with or without disabilities.”