Planting Seeds of Friendship by Amiya

Planting Seeds of Friendship by Amiya - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

When I was in middle school, I participated in a Junior Youth Group consisting of an animator (an adult who guides the group) and a few peers. My intrigue to serve my community and humanity blossomed at this age since we often participated in service projects such as going to the Oregon Food Bank, to beach cleanups, and volunteering for Friends of Trees. We also hosted bake sales and donation drives with other local Junior Youth Groups.

I decided to relive my volunteer cleanup memories and participated in a river cleanup in Molalla, Oregon in October 2017. It was the Mollala River Watch’s 25th annual fall cleanup and restoration. Many of the volunteers I met had participated in the cleanup before, it left me feeling out of place, as I hadn’t volunteered as much as I had since middle school. Despite feeling shy, I met a volunteer named Hannah at this event and we got on quickly, discussing our interests in the outdoors, in the environment, and in volunteering. Chatting with her was liberating, as making conversation with others has been hard for me in the past, But she made it feel easy and our discussion reminded me that I do love working with others. I enjoy going out of my way to engage in these activities, whether volunteering or working. I enjoy learning new skills and developing dormant ones and this experience helped me realise that. With this knowledge, I know I will continue to volunteer outdoors and engage with others.