Baldwin High School
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
The most important aspect of supporting one’s community, in my opinion, is incorporating one’s passions into their service. I have done this by using my passions, particularly for music, knitting, and medicine, and creating positive impacts on people beyond myself. Over the past few years, I volunteered at my school district’s middle school for their musical. After school, I worked with middle school students, helping them learn to perform, practice their music, and become better musicians. Throughout my experience, I not only devoted hours of my free time with them but also formed close relationships which would later prove to be invaluable as they advanced to high school. I feel there is an obligation in every one to ensure later classes and generations have the same opportunities, if not more than what the previous had. Music and my involvement in it have defined much of my life, and I want it to be accessible to others.
Also extremely important to me is my recent involvement in my school’s knitting club. Last year, I taught myself how to knit and it has become a major part of my life, both as a positive, constructive hobby, and a personal way to directly help those in need in my community. Last year, I donated knit apparel, mostly scarves and hats to a local homeless shelter and this year, my main project is making hats for cancer patients at UPMC Magee. Beyond actually creating apparel myself, I further spread my abilities to amplify the impact of my efforts. I stay after school about once a week to help new members learn to knit and troubleshoot when they run into issues. Just like music, knitting has played such a huge role in my life that I feel the duty to pass my knowledge on to others who are willing to learn so they can begin leaving their own impression on the community.
I would be derelict in failing to mention my volunteer work in the Sibling Center at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. I saw, first hand, the impact that genuine, human connection can have on a child going through difficulties. I spent my free time over the summer playing, socializing, and just providing company to the children. Not only could I see the effects individual attention can have on a child, but each interaction had a major impact on me. In a medical occupation, one’s primary role is to ease a patient back to health physically; however, patients also need key emotional support, and during stressful times, parents and medical professionals are sometimes unable to provide it. Individuals and volunteers have not only the ability but the responsibility to ensure that others in times of need receive essential support. Through my volunteering experiences, I gained a further understanding that by incorporating my passions into service, furthering my education and career, and forming new relationships with various individuals and organizations, I can assist in the alleviation of difficulties within disadvantaged populations through dedication and humanity.