Greensburg Salem High School
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
Space explorers. Laundry helpers. Dancing jukeboxes. Those are some of the responses our school robotics club received when we asked a group of Girl Scouts to design their own robot. Last summer, we volunteered at a four day STEAM summer camp where we shared with young students our passion for robotics and explained to them its basic principles. For us, it was inspiring to see their endless imagination and enthusiasm at we loved the opportunity to meet them. I believe that volunteerism builds relationships with my community and its people which in turn inspires action on behalf of others.
Through circumstance, I never actively volunteered anywhere on a weekly or even monthly basis. Instead, I make myself available whenever needed. This ranges from helping set up a free local Thanksgiving Dinner to visiting homebound church members and singing Christmas carols for them. When I volunteer at such events, the people we serve are not strangers. They are people I know such as Clara Gazze who made the best pizzelles and June Orr whose knowledge of the Bible rivals even our pastor. Because of my relationships with them, it gave me joy to sing carols for them when they began to have difficulty coming out of the house. Meanwhile, they could enjoy the company of others. Volunteerism also allows me to make new relationships. At school, by helping parents at Open House and ushering at musicals, I have the chance to put faces to members of the community who I only know as friends’ parents. For me, these human relationships are an integral part of life and is why I value my time given to others.
The impact of these relationships can be hard to see yet profound. At church, I volunteered at Vacation Bible School for the past five years. I helped with various aspects from setting up/tearing down decorations to leading the science station. It is an enjoyable time that allows me to share my faith in fun and interactive ways. I remember one girl from VBS distinctly. When I first met her, she was very energetic and excited to be there. She always tried to answer my questions and loved to volunteer for science demonstrations. However, the sheer volume she raised her hand made it seem as if she had something to prove. I later learned that this girl suffered from bullying at school and her parents began attending church to provide her a more loving environment. For three years, we did our best to provide that but this past summer, they unexpectedly moved away. I can only hope that they will remember us with a smile, as we will remember them.
In life, as I move beyond Greensburg, I want to continue to build relationships with people in the global community. This will continue to inspire me to give myself up to others, as I strive to better connect with and understand them. If that can succeed, I hope we can create a more empathetic world.