Greensburg Central Catholic High School
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
The generosity and gratitude that my parents show towards others is something that I have become familiar with as I have grown and matured. This idea to serve and assist is now a part of who I am as a person. To reach out and offer support to others is something truly incredible and rewarding both during the process and afterwards. I have enjoyed volunteering with various organizations throughout my community during my high school years.
My high school is closely connected to a school for those with disabilities called Clelian Heights. This school is a place for children and adults with mental disabilities to learn and grow while their right to human dignity is protected. I have gotten to know some of the students by helping with their annual Chicken Dinner Fundraiser, Breakfast with Santa, and Halloween party. It is always a pleasure to see the joy in each of the students as I talk to them about what they ate for lunch, what they are looking forward to, or how their family is doing. One of my favorite memories was when the students came to my school for a Halloween party and a group of students from Clelian Heights and students from my school decided to start a game of “balloon volleyball” while we were having a dance party. Interacting with these students has taught me to take a step back and look at the bigger picture in life instead of being caught up in my everyday worries.
I have also volunteered as a member of the Girl Scouts of America. As a Girl Scout, I have worked with the Westmoreland County Food Bank to distribute food and I have also completed my Silver Award. For my Silver Award project, I set up a program at my church to provide a light dinner or lunch to any of the homebound each weekend. It has been rewarding to see the gratitude of the elderly as they receive their meals.
The most defining way that I have volunteered thus far was through a mission trip to Vanceburg, Kentucky. On this trip, I assisted those of the Appalachian region of the United States by building porches, painting barns, and cleaning their houses. Although I helped these people with their labor, the best part of the trip was getting to know the people of Vanceburg. I listened to their stories of pain and poverty, but these people never let their situation affect them. They were optimistic and made everyone feel like family. Times like these are the best when volunteering because as I worked to provide for these people and protect their dignity as human beings, they also served me. I realized that the life I was living at home is nothing compared to what others are going through and that the needs of people as a whole surpass any individual desires.
Volunteering has taught me many life lessons thus far and I look forward to learning many more.
Anna Vitale