Winchester Thurston
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
To me, volunteerism is a way to take real action in making the changes I want to see in the world. I grew up immersed in the outdoors, hiking, camping, exploring wildlife in local creeks and learning about creatures around the world. These experiences instilled a love for nature and a passion for protecting the environment. Much of my community service, from age 6 onwards, whether for the Zoo, local nonprofits like Venture Outdoors, or with Girl Scouts, have centered around nature. I have worked to clean up local habitats, educate and spread awareness of ways people can help with global issues like habitat destruction and climate change, and to get people outside to enjoy and benefit from our community greenspaces.
Along the way, volunteering has taught me skills that I can use in everyday life and to make my future initiatives more effective. In almost all of my projects, immersing myself in a cause allowed me to learn more sides to each issue, and the pros and cons of every solution. For my Gold Award, I learned how to manage a variety of expectations, skill levels, interests, and prior knowledge to effectively plan and lead group hikes. I learned how to read groups and developed flexibility in managing the unpredictable nature of people, wildlife and the weather. I also learned about professionally collaborating with different organizations, being adaptable to their needs and requirements while not letting go of my goals. I improved my digital design and formatting skills to create a readable map and an informative, accessible pamphlet on habitats while accurately conveying the mission of Allegheny Land Trust.
Overall, my volunteer work has given me confidence in my own knowledge and abilities to lead and speak. While creating the pamphlet, I was often advised by different people to cut certain pieces out to make room for something else. While I sometimes followed this advice, I also learned to stand up for my ideas and maintain my voice in my work. I am now a trained trip leader for Venture Outdoors, continuing to assist with both wilderness and urban hikes. I am very interested in Urban Planning or Environmental Engineering. I want to work to incorporate design principles that bring people closer to healthy habitats and greenspaces into city planning.
By volunteering, I have impacted people, forging new bonds through shared experiences spotting wildlife and getting past fallen trees, and helping them find more confidence in their own abilities to navigate trails. I used principles learned to help other students explore different leadership styles, working to successfully achieve gender-balanced representation in student government. I will continue to use these skills to communicate with people of varying backgrounds, encouraging them to get outside for physical and emotional health, and convincing them of the importance of greenspaces. Volunteering allows me to dive deeper and better understand my community’s weaknesses and strengths, to identify issues, solve problems and make a difference.