Legend High School welcomes Cpt. Quin’Shay Perkins for U.S. Air Force leadership event

For Cpt. Quin’Shay Perkins, serving in the U.S. Air Force has allowed her the opportunity to lead, learn, and foster change in the male-dominated institution, and now she’s using her career story to empower and encourage other young women to answer the call.

“I went to the Air Force Academy when I graduated high school because I was looking for an opportunity to better myself as an individual and have the opportunity to be a part of change,” Perkins said. “Personally, the military has given me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had if I stayed in a small town in Mississippi. It has allowed me to lead, to make decisions, and to develop discipline that I didn’t have growing up.”

Perkins, an RPA pilot with the U.S. Air Force, recently visited Legend High School in Parker, Colo., to talk to students about the benefits of serving in the U.S. military as a woman. 

“[Perkins] talked about the number of females in leadership and the importance of knowing what opportunities are available to them,” Legend High School Athletic Director Daniel Simington said. “By becoming knowledgeable about opportunities, kids can achieve their own personal greatness. Several girls were interested in how to apply to the Air Force Academy.”

Student athletes from the school’s female softball, cross country, track, basketball, swim, volleyball, and soccer teams participated in the leadership and team building sessions with the Air Force recruiter. Ohio-based marketing firm DistrictWON facilitates the program that connects the U.S. Air Force with local high schools.

The teamwork-focused program engages students in a new way and allows the U.S. Air Force to break through barriers and talk with students about their leadership potential within the military and what it could offer beyond graduation. 

“The girls were excited to hear about options they have through the Air Force, the Academy and leadership,” Simington said. “Girls shared about setting their goals high and the traits that separate great leaders.”

Critical and diverse thinking are necessary for problem-solving, Perkins said, and women in all fields of interest can bring with them unique perspectives needed to move forward, change social views of what gender norms and roles are, and be part of global and strategic policymaking. 

“Without integration and diversity, there is no challenge to the culture that has already been established,” Perkins said. “In the Air Force, every individual comes from a different walk of life to come together for one cause: to protect and defend the Constitution. The different problems that we must solve as a force are solved by the diverse mindsets that we all possess.”

Perkins acknowledged that there is still a “you can’t sit with us” problem that women face, but also feels that the possibility of change is within reach.

“It is our duty [as recruiters] to be the face for young women to believe, because all it takes is one spark of curiosity for one to believe that they are capable,” Perkins said. 

According to the 2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community newly released by the U.S. Department of Defense, the number of service members in all military branches dropped by 2.7 percent over the previous year. However, the percentage of women increased slightly, with those actively serving in the military rising to 17.5 percent in 2022 from 17.3 percent the year prior and those in the selected reserve increasing to 21.6 percent from 21.4 percent over the same period.

Perkins would like to see the data on the number of women in the military continue rising.

“We must come together to teach and inspire our young women to go after their dreams,” Perkins said. “It’s OK to be the first, because that means we are making progress in a world that still tells us we can’t.”

 

Allstate Insurance gets a boost by giving back to Maple Mountain High School in Utah

For Allstate Insurance Agent Ryan Larson based in Provo, Utah, sponsoring Maple Mountain High School’s athletic department through a partnership facilitated by Ohio-based DistrictWON was a cost-effective opportunity to support students.

“Successful businesses in the area have a moral stewardship to give back to the next generation, and where they are found is in the public schools,” Larson said.

At the same time, Allstate Insurance aims to attract local customers through its advertising campaigns. In February, Larson was highlighted on Maple Mountain’s website and social media accounts, naming him the school’s “M.V.A. – Most Valuable Allstate Agent.”

“He has the protection game down, and we’re happy to have him as a fan and a sponsor of Maple Mountain High School. #AllstateGoodHandsdw,” the school tweeted along with a photo of Larson and his agency’s contact information.

David Boyack, athletic director at Maple Mountain High School located in Spanish Fork, Utah, said Larson’s contributions go a long way toward helping to fund the athletic department’s many needs.

“It was great to have the sponsorship and donations to our athletic department,” Boyack said. “Having the donation done in front of a large basketball crowd was awesome. Fans from two rival schools were able to see that local businesses are willing to get behind and support student-athletes.”

Larson, who has worked for Allstate for 24 years, moved near Maple Mountain High School with his family five years ago.

“It’s the school in the community where I live, and many of my clients, their families go to Maple Mountain, and we want to support that,” Larson said.

“I’m a big fan of athletics, having been a high school athlete myself, so athletics was the leading driver in terms of sponsorship [for Maple Mountain],” added Larson, who played football in high school.

Larson has received positive feedback about Allstate’s partnership with the school from neighbors and fellow church members who have attended Maple Mountain High School sports events.

“It’s brought a lot of goodwill in the community,” he said.

Rocky River, Ohio-based DistrictWON creates meaningful brand connections within local communities through marketing partnerships between businesses and high schools. For more information on how to reach high school students, parents and administrators in a way that truly makes a difference in the community, visit https://www.districtwon.comhttps://www.facebook.com/districtwon, or follow https://twitter.com/districtwon on Twitter