Vincentian Academy
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
Everyone from Pittsburgh knows the city’s iconic show, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood and its theme song, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Pittsburghers, who know how to rally together for super bowls and strangers alike, embody this philosophy. I was no exception, and started volunteer work at a young age by making blankets for the homeless with my Girl Scout troop and frequently participating in my church’s outreach program. As I matured, I knew I could do more. So, my hometown principles led me abroad on a mission trip to aid my distant neighbors in Honduras.
Next thing I knew, I found myself wedged between two men holding automatic weapons, filing through a crowded airport, with a trail of matching blue t-shirts sticking out in a sea of darkness. I was all too aware of the color of my skin and my native tongue. My toes nudged the back of the suitcase in front of me as I stayed close to the group, fearful of getting grabbed by strangers. A mission trip to Honduras sounded like a great idea in the comforts of home, but it’s less desirable when you’re in a bustling airport in one of the murder capitals of the world.
Poverty is a generic term describing the inability to afford basic needs for survival. The concept is entirely different when it has a name, face, and story. As I distributed shoes to children in Honduras, I partook in the humbling experience of washing the feet of others. Kneeling in the dirt with the sun beating down as you put another person before yourself became symbolic of my journey towards being a good neighbor.
I learned how easy it was to help in Honduras but the real test came when I got home and faced everyday distractions. I knew that I wasn’t going to solve the poverty crisis in Honduras in a week, but I didn’t feel the sense of accomplishment I expected. I returned with a tick, this unexplainable itch of dissatisfaction. I got to go home, but for the people I met, there was no escape back to air conditioning and stocked pantries.
I decided then that I wouldn’t let myself forget what I had seen. I refuse to volunteer for a couple of hours, check the box, and go home. It wasn’t always easy but my experiences kept me motivated as I continued to volunteered locally, advocated for international poverty, took an internship with a non-profit, and even traveled on a second trip back to Central America. Being a good neighbor is a lifestyle. It isn’t just making meals for the homeless, it’s holding doors open, saying thank you, and smiling. Big or small, for one or many, to me, volunteerism is always being a good neighbor.