Hempfield Area High School
Senior? Yes
Elite top 100? Yes
Letters of recommendation: Letter of Recommendation 1, Letter of Recommendation 2
Volunteerism is about helping others and being an attribute to one’s community. By being a volunteer since I was a child, I have given back to my community while obtaining a sense of pride. Being able to devote my time as well as recruiting others to volunteer their time to improve another’s life and the well-being of our community is extremely gratifying.
My volunteerism began as a child when I accompanied my family on service projects and has expanded as I mature and obtain school leadership positions. As a youngster, I accompanied my brothers on their volunteer efforts with their boy scout troop. We would volunteer at March for Parks, Earth Day cleanups, and collect food for the Food Bank. I spent countless hours helping my brothers complete their Eagle service projects at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve. Witnessing how scouts put their community first was key to my learning the meaning of volunteerism. As I matured, I continued to help others through various volunteer efforts. As a Student Council officer and spokesperson for the student body, I have organized service initiatives while recruiting classmates to assist in these endeavors. Together, we have collected food for the Food Bank and monetary donations for Wounded Warriors, American Cancer Society and Beverly’s Birthdays. We also host and assist the American Red Cross in bi-annual blood drives at our school. As a member of the Science, Spanish, and National Honor Societies and Interact Club, I have continued my community service by serving as an academic tutor, hosting charity events, volunteering at March for Parks and ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. I also serve as a Peer Mediator and assist my fellow students in resolving conflicts they may have with other students. As a member of the volleyball and basketball teams, we host camps and I help improve the volleyball and basketball skills of youth. By volunteering at my local hospital, I provide patients with warm blankets, water, slippers and anything they may need to help make their stay more comfortable. As a Westmoreland County Food Bank volunteer, I have helped collect food donations during the annual Stamp Out Hunger and Fall Food Share Food Drives. I have learned that assisting others makes a positive difference in those we help, which in turn, gives one a sense of worth and gratification.
Community service and volunteerism is a rewarding and heartwarming experience that I want to continue as I pursue my future endeavors. I have seen the joy brought to people through volunteer efforts. Witnessing the thankfulness of those in need when distributing food at food banks and the cheerfulness brought to residents of nursing homes when someone does something as simple as having a conversation with them has shown me that volunteerism makes a positive difference. The motto of the Interact Club is, “Service Above Self.” This motto represents my efforts of service through the various activities in which I participate and will continue to do throughout my adult life.