Finding Her Voice: How Erika Learned to Fail Safely and Lead Boldly

People often ask Erika Gabrielson how she got to where she is today. As a senior at Northview High School in Georgia and the President of her school’s 3DE Advisory Board, she stands out as a confident, capable leader. 

But if you had met her four years ago, you may not have recognized her. 

"Back then I was shy, very shy," Erika recalls. The isolation of the pandemic had hit her hard. By the time she was in eighth grade, she struggled to hold a casual conversation, even with her own friends. When she first stepped into 3DE as a freshman, she planned to keep her head down, get good grades, and stay safely behind the scenes. 

But the 3DE instructional model is designed to do exactly the opposite. 

In 3DE classrooms, students go beyond memorizing information and apply what they’re learning to real cases; they ideate, test, iterate, and build resilience. Every six weeks, Erika and her peers were presented with new cases that forced them out of their comfort zones. They had to lead conversations, present solutions, and navigate difficult team dynamics. 

Slowly, her shyness began to break away. "It wasn't instant. It wasn't dramatic," Erika explains. "It was more like a series of small cracks, each one letting a little more confidence through." 

Her newfound confidence pushed Erika to make some bold choices – first to study abroad in Brazil and when she got home, to run for President of her school’s 3DE Advisory Board. 

She got the role, and in her very first meeting as President, Erika set out to make an impact. She took too big of a step, too fast, and completely missed the mark.  But a crucial lesson of mindset development isn't just about taking risks. It's about what happens when you fall. 

Instead of retreating to the shy freshman she used to be, she leaned into the resilience she had built. She sat down with her Vice President, asked each question she had been afraid to voice, and admitted what she didn't know. From that point forward, she became the leader she truly wanted to be. 

"That's the thing that no one tells you about confidence," Erika shares. "It doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from failing safely and trying again." 

This is why case method and mindset development sit at the core of 3DE by Junior Achievement. Classrooms become safe places to debate, collaborate, and try new things, long before students feel perfectly "ready." 

"Junior Achievement created opportunities that changed my entire life," Erika says. “3DE has given me a space to fail, to learn, to grow, a space to speak before I felt ready. Until one day, I actually was. 3DE and JA didn’t just give me skills, leadership, or opportunities. They gave me my voice.”