Lease on Life by Hunter

Lease on Life by Hunter - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

In my freshmen year, I got the opportunity to participate in helping the special Olympics. The event pairs mentally disabled athletes into separate sporting events. My job was to help a young boy named Josh.
Josh and I would walk from each event tracking his progress and having fun along the way. While doing this Josh would often look and me and say thank you amongst other words of praise. It impacted me so greatly because it was the first time someone looked up to me. At 13 years old you are often dismissed. Often no one is looked up to until they are much older. Josh looking up to me proved to me how great I can impact people.
Secondly, I learned how impactful service can be. The athletes’ mothers would come up to the volunteers and say that the event was the highlight of the athletes’ years. This made me think of all the times I have benefited from service. From referees at soccer games to crossing guards at school. Volunteering turned from a chore to a necessity.
Lastly, the impact on those I was serving. I have never seen someone so happy as Josh. He tugged my shirt from event to event and jumped up and down when I agreed to play catch. These little gestures made Josh so incredibly excited I would never forget.