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I believe that “Acts of Kindness” have a trickle affect. Passing kindness along inspires others to do the same. When kindness is witnessed, it encourages others to bring out the best in themselves. Positive acts of kindness are not only inspiring, but also uplifting. They remind us that there are good people in the world. This is why volunteering has presented me with some of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I have volunteered with my high school’s Girls Giving Back organization and during annual Make a Difference Days. I have also volunteered and worked with local clean up groups in the Detroit Metropolitan Area that have a community development focus. Many of my volunteer hours with the Girls Giving Back organization were earned serving as a tutor; helping Detroit public school children. The experience of tutoring underprivileged elementary school children was very gratifying. I have always had compassion for children and have felt in my heart, from a very young age, that I could help them. It wasn’t until my tutoring experience that I realized that I had the power to help to shape their futures through educational outreach. I was enthusiastic about helping them in any way that I could and eagerly anticipated our weekly visits to different elementary schools. Working with under-privileged kids also awoke in me the idea that I am a positive role model who children look up to. A new favorite quote of mine by Jim Henson is, “ Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” I’d like to think that the dedication and kindness that I showed the children who I worked with each week inspired them to do and be better. I hope that our experiences together will be remembered, will continue to motivate them to give learning their all and that they will one day pass it along.
While participating in Make a Difference Day at my high school, I volunteered to work with a group of my peers, and we were challenged with cleaning up a local Detroit neighborhood. What I remember most about the experience was that I was beyond exhausted afterwards, but all of our hard work made a tremendous difference to the people in that community. We had made their neighborhood a nicer place to live. We left with an understanding that giving back something as small as clean streets helped to change someone’s world. I hoped that the huge impact that our small group made by picking up trash and mowing lawns would motivate members of that community to do the same.
I also volunteered at Arts & Scraps, an innovative local non-profit organization located in Detroit. Arts & Scraps uses donated items and industrial scrap materials (that would otherwise be thrown away) to create interactive art education programs for people of all ages and abilities. The organization strives to impact communities around them by providing outreach to schools, children’s groups, local churches, and more. When volunteering at Arts & Scraps, I was impressed by the organization’s mission, vision, and the unique way that they chose to be give back and be kind to others. It was intriguing and inspiring how they fostered creativity in so many people simply by using scraps. That day, I played a small part in helping a unique organization to accomplish its vital mission of helping others grow and develop creatively. Being there sparked the thought in me that anyone could give back by simply reimagining things.
As a college student, I will continue to seek out ways to be kind to others and make the world a better place. I plan to become involved in outreach programs whose goals are to cause positive change in the lives of others. It is very exciting imagining all of the different things that I will be able to do as a part of a new community of people. Knowing that through acts of kindness I have the ability to uplift, encourage, and inspire others empowers me. Volunteering will always be an important part of my life.
Thank you for considering me for the Rose Hubbard Memorial Scholarship, the Margaret Patterson-Bailey Scholarship, and other People Driven Credit Union Scholarships being awarded to students for the 2018-19 school year.
