Going into high school, I didn’t really have many service hours under my belt.

I was only
a student and an athlete, caring mainly about myself, my friends, and my family. Little
did I realize that doing community service would become a huge pie piece of life. The
time I spent helping others the summer going into my junior year was the greatest time
I’ve ever been away from my family.

We left on a sunny Sunday morning. There were 12 students from my high school
attending this service trip, all packed in two of the school vans. The five hour trip sped
by, and before we knew it, we were driving through the enormous mountains of West
Virginia. As we pulled up to Nazareth Farm, there was an old, white barn with their logo
painted on the roof, and the volunteer house sat nextdoor. The staff was waiting outside,
welcoming us with open arms as we piled out of the vans. After touring the house, we
met the rest of the staff and other volunteers who came from all over the country. Little
did I know, we’d soon become very close. The most memorable moment of the week was
our second day of siding. That day, I put up nearly a whole section of siding by myself.
That week full of service was over in a blink of an eye. All of the siding, roofing, painting,
cooking, cleaning, praying, and laughing had ended. As I headed home with some of my
now closest friends, I realized that I wanted to help people like that all the time. I
wanted to go back to the “simple life,” that is Nazareth Farm, as soon as possible. I came
home a new person, with new life goals and new priorities. I seriously loved being in this
new mindset. I became more aware of the life I lived and everything that I was fortunate
enough to have.

As I began my junior year, I took it head on, and I became so involved with service that
it took up a lot of my time. In early December, I led a book drive for Nazareth Farm’s
Christmas party. We collected over 500 books to donate to families living in Doddridge
County, West Virginia, where Nazareth Farm is located, who may not be able to afford
them. Fortunately I was able to visit Nazareth Farm to attend the party and deliver the
books in person. Being at the party and seeing all of the children pick out their favorite
books was the highlight of my year. I was so elated that I could give to those who needed
it the most during the most giving time of the year.

I continue my service work at The Caring Closet, a local nonprofit, helping to organize
and wash clothing for the less fortunate children in the local school district. The
following February, I was lucky to be in the first group of juniors to attend our school’s
Kairos retreat. Kairos is a time where you get away from the real world, and become
closer to God. There is a lot of time for self reflection. After attending this retreat, I was
changed again. Not many of my friends were with me, so I came to know new people,
some of which I had never met before. I told myself that I would be a true leader going
forward and I could not wait to begin my final year of high school.
Entering my senior year of high school, I now have many service hours under my belt. I
love giving back to my community, and even other communities around mine. I still care
about my family and friends, but it’s more genuine than before. Also for those who may
not even know me anymore. I want to continue doing service work because there are so
many people in this world that deserve better than what they have. I believe that I have
the ability to change something in this world, even if it’s just giving boxes of clothes,
toiletries, and shoes to children in the local school district.