My Proudest School Accomplishment by Kendra

My Proudest School Accomplishment by Kendra - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

As a student of Chandler High School, I have been involved in many of the clubs and groups we offer, and dedicated myself wholeheartedly to uphold the standards and expectations I accepted when I became a member. The group that I am affiliated with that I feel does the most good is called “Postponing Sexual Involvement”, so my involvement here is what I am the most proud of.
This group is a public service group founded by the Lincoln County Health Department, and is unparalleled in the state. There is an interview process to be accepted, and to be re-admitted at the beginning of every year. We are led by Elaine Imel, who works for child advocacy and education as an employee of the Department.
My job as a part of this group is something I take extraordinary pride in. Every year, we divide into small lesson groups and teach grades seven and nine. We cover topics that inform young students and enable them to make positive and educated life decisions on the importance of respecting yourself, encouraging your self-esteem (instead of starving it), saying no to alcohol and drugs, and choosing abstinence. I enjoy teaching and discussing my lessons with the young teens and have seen firsthand the difference that it makes to them to have someone to come to with questions. In a confusing world of peers and pressure, I have had the honor of being a source of support and guidance for bright young teens in troubling situations. Many people in junior high and high school have trouble going to their parents or an adult with a new and uncomfortable problem, and I serve as a middle ground to take the message of a worthy adult and administer it as an approachable role model. It brings me great pride in my role to see the transformation firsthand.
I have had youths seek me out to ask difficult questions or talk out high pressure situations involving abusive friends or bullies that they do not know how to deal with, or to ask about the dangers of engaging in activities such as drinking, experimenting with drugs, or having sex. My ability to advise from an informed position of leadership has made a world of difference in the lives of my peers, and having the opportunity to connect people with adults trained to guide them has allowed me to see lives being turned around firsthand. I take a great deal of pride in my service, and in the way that I have grown through my involvement.