Pay It Forward by Kayley

Pay It Forward by Kayley - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

“Only a life lived in the service to others is a life worth living,” -Albert Einstein. I believe that service is the most significant way to change the world. At the end of our time, we are not measured by our successes, but by our service to others. I want to be remembered as a person who was most willing to lend a helping hand and spread joy to the world.

The act of giving to others is contagious. It creates a positive chain reaction that prompts others to “pay it forward”. The feeling of doing good for others is what makes service worthwhile. With over two hundred and fifty community service hours, service is a significant part of my life and who I am. The time when I felt like I had made the most difference in the world was when I was chosen to spend two summers tending to those suffering from poverty. I dedicated over sixty hours to a nearby migrant town where people struggled to meet their daily needs. While I was there, I participated in working for Habitat for Humanity, I cooked and served food at the Guadalupe Social Services food pantry, I helped children with homework at the Immokalee Child Care Center, and assisted the migrant workers in the fields. When I look back on the service I dedicated, I feel blessed knowing that I made an impact by touching the lives of a struggling community.

After this service opportunity, I have continued to demonstrate my service to others by aiding the poor and helping students in my school community. On a weekly basis, I provide my own materials to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Every Monday, I along with my peers from the National Honor Society, gather together to create 100-120 sandwiches which are then donated to a local homeless shelter. I also volunteer twice a week to help students who struggle academically with homework or standardized test practice. My compassion for less fortunate animals is also a large part of my service in the community. I have donated over eighty hours to various cat rescue organizations to control and protect the feline population in my county. By working at the no-kill shelters and caring for injured felines, I was able to support and promote organizations that show compassion for their lives.

My time in high school is coming to an end and as I move to my next chapter in life, I know my love for service and caring for others in need will always define me. I love bringing joy to others and through community service I can accomplish that. It starts with one person paying it forward to bring joy and change the world.