The Work and Rewards of Traveling to Belize by Jordyn

The Work and Rewards of Traveling to Belize by Jordyn - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my years of high school, I have encountered many people and had many experiences that have shaped who I am today and who I hope to be in the future. These people and experiences have shown me how to be a better person. As a result, I have found myself trying harder to be a better person, including doing what I believe to be good for others. These actions don’t always mean I’m making huge differences in everyday life for a lot of people. Often, helping one person directly or putting an idea in motion that would positively affect just one person is a great way to be a person who is capable of spreading optimism.

The past two summers, I traveled to Belize as part of St Dennis Church’s mission trips to offer help to school children. Their schools are in poor condition, they have little supplies, and their lives are generally very hard. Everyone in our group is enthusiastic to improve the kids’ chances of success, so we help repair their schools, bring them new supplies, and teach them short lessons. These efforts change their lives for the better and everyone in my group is working to promote a positive lifestyle for the kids’ education and overall life experiences. Even so, I think my biggest impact is when I spend a few hours with one or two of the kids. I think devoting time to playing a game or just talking to a couple of the kids makes them feel so special. I think they believe someone from far away cared enough to travel a great distance to see them, and that gives them great joy. That’s the power of making someone feel that they have value and that they are special..

The kids are so positive, even with the little that they have. It encourages me to be even more thankful for what I have and what’s going on in my life. After these experiences, I’m reminded just how very blessed I am to live the life I do. It causes me to see the positive side of everything .

High school can be a very challenging time for many students. I have witnessed many students directly putting other students down or speaking negatively about other students. That is a turnoff to me and not the life I wish to live. I hope that someday people will overcome the need to act in such ways and realize everyone deserves kindness in their lives. I have taken it upon myself to be the best person I can be to my friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Sitting in the lunchroom with my friends, I don’t have time to criticize others, but I don’t ignore the adverse comments about individuals either. I try to interject some positive remarks about whomever may be the subject of the negative comments. I have experienced a great deal of satisfaction by standing against the negativity and working to promote small acts of kindness, even if they go largely unnoticed. Often, situations like this are the best opportunities to talk health, happiness, and prosperity to others.

I have no doubt that what I have learned in my high school classrooms and learned on my mission trips will be used in the future. I am thankful for the people and experiences throughout high school that have shaped me for the better and inspired me to forget the mistakes of the past and to press on to the greater achievements of the future.