Integrity in the Arena: Lessons from Katniss Everdeen by Jessica

Integrity in the Arena: Lessons from Katniss Everdeen by Jessica - October 2025 Scholarship Essay

When I first read The Hunger Games, I didn’t expect a story about survival and rebellion to shape how I view courage and leadership in my own life. I was thirteen, overwhelmed by middle school grades and group projects, when I first met Katniss Everdeen. She wasn’t just a fictional character to me. She was a symbol of standing up for what’s right, even when your voice shakes. Katniss made it okay to speak up for the “little people” and taught me that courage isn’t always loud, and leadership doesn’t have to be perfect.

One night after a chaotic day filled with miscommunication in a group project, I felt completely defeated. Out of frustration, I picked up Catching Fire again. Reading how Katniss faced impossible odds with quiet determination shifted something in me. She taught me that real strength doesn’t come from ease or applause but from choosing integrity over safety. Even when she was offered comfort, fame, and security, she refused to compromise her values. She didn’t conform to the Capitol’s expectations or pretended to be something she wasn’t. Her resistance wasn’t arrogance, it was conscience. She fought for others while she was still terrified herself. That’s the kind of courage that changed how I saw my own challenges.

By my junior year of high school, I found myself in my own version of the arena. As Class Vice President, I was responsible for leading our biggest fundraiser. Two days before the event, volunteers dropped out, supplies disappeared, and everyone was pointing fingers. I wanted to give up. Then I thought of Katniss, the moment she volunteered for her sister, trembling but resolute. If she could lead with fear in her chest, I could handle a high school crisis. So, I regrouped my classmates, reassigned roles, and stayed late to get things back on track. The event not only succeeded but became our most memorable of the year. It wasn’t the kind of leadership that draws headlines, but it was steady and sincere and that mattered more.

Katniss taught me that the strongest leaders aren’t always the loudest. They are the ones who practice empathy, embrace discomfort, and do the right thing even when no one else will. Her story showed me that courage isn’t the absence of fear but the decision to move forward despite it. Every time I face uncertainty, whether it’s standing up for someone, tackling a new challenge, or managing failure, I carry that lesson with me. The integrity Katniss embodied still echoes in my own choices, reminding me that real leadership begins when we stop seeking safety and start standing for something.