Greensburg Salem High School
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
I’ve always known that volunteering is a very important thing to do. Because of this I’ve always had the drive to help the people around me; weather it’s just an elderly neighbor, the local humane society, or monastery. When I was younger my sisters and I would help raise money for the local humane society by having car washes in town, selling candy bars to our neighbors and advertising at local shops to bring in money. Alongside this, I have gone and helped at the local monastery several times within the last few years. I would help the nuns with their seasonal cleaning as well as help them decorate for the holidays. I have even helped them with dinners they have for prayer retreats, as well as moving heavy boxes from the basement to other rooms across the campus. Also, one year after Christmas I helped them wash and put away all of their Christmas china. My most recent volunteering experience was this past winter. I went and volunteered with the radiation oncology department at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. So far, I have been there on three different occasions. I prepared a craft/activity in order to provide a fun escape from treatment for the patients and their families. Doing all of this has meant very much to me, it has not only let me become a better person, but it has allowed me to become a bigger part of my community. This has ultimately shaped me into the person I am today. It has also transformed me into a more well-rounded and responsible person. Being able and fortunate enough to give my time to help other people has taught me many things. For example, I’ve learned that anytime I am able to help others I should take the opportunity to. I’ve learned that there are always people in need, and I’ll never know when I might potentially need help from someone as well. One of the most important things I’ve acquired from my volunteering experiences is better communication skills. Alongside this I have gotten significantly better at putting myself outside of my comfort zone. When I went to volunteer with the radiation floor it forced me to put myself out there in order to help and empathize with patients so I could help get them through as much as possible. Moving forward I plan to keep volunteering as much as I can, this includes any free time I have outside of my academics. I have always known that I wanted a career in which I can help people, this mostly comes from the volunteering that I’ve been able to do in the past. Volunteering with the Children’s Hospital has completely solidified that I want to work in a hospital setting one day soon, especially with kids. Volunteering has affected me in many ways, all in the best manor possible. It has taught me that anytime that I am able, I need to help others in any way feasible.