Lessons Outside the Classroom by McKenzie

Lessons Outside the Classroom by McKenzie - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

One of my earliest memories was going with my grandmother to senior homes. Even though I do not remember much from it, I remember the feeling I got from helping those people. I also remember the first time that my grandmother told me we were going to the senior center. I was upset because I thought it was going to be boring. I remember thinking that there were better things for me to do than to be surrounded by people with no common interests as me. We walked into that room and I instantly felt the energy from everyone in that room. You could tell they had their struggles, but their faith was so strong that it did not physically show in them. From that moment on, I knew it was meant for me to help others.
As I continued to grow older, I grew to love helping others more and more. It felt like a calling from God that my purpose was to aid others and make them feel better about themselves. From then on, I continued to help my community as much as I could. One day when I was about ten years old, I found a growing problem in my community, which was the consumption of gluten. After finding the right recipe, I grew a business that allowed me to give delicious treats with nutritional value to those who struggled with gluten. From then on, I have continued to help those with health problems to allow them to eat things that are good to taste, but also carry nutrients that are needed. When I moved to another state at thirteen years old, it was decided that I had a new calling. Though I helped people in the past with their physical health, I wanted to find a way to help my community when it comes to mental health. One day, I decided to help out at a local elementary school and talk to a few students. Being surrounded by all of those children changed my entire outlook on life. After that, I knew that my calling was to help the youth. Most of the time when the words mental health are brought up, the first thought that comes to mind is a teenager or adult. The thought of younger children is never typically brought up. Though mental health is not a large topic when it comes to young children, it is just as important as it is for adults. I believe that mental health all starts when someone is a child and progresses over time. My goal when it comes to community service is to be a role model who spreads love and positivity to the youth so that they can carry it with them as they continue to grow up. We often forget that our youth will be running the world one day but I want the youth to know from a young age their worth. I volunteer at local elementary schools to serve as a mentor to young students. Not only do I want to aid them mentally, but to shape their futures.
Another way I help the community is through the Black Student Union at my school in which I am the president. While it is my goal to spread love and diversity throughout my school, I also strive to encourage giving back. Our union has had countless community service opportunities such as reading to elementary students and helping out with student events. I believe that love is truly spread by giving back to the community. If a person does not serve their community, they will have a hard time understanding some principles of life. Though my passion is giving back, I want to be able to give others the opportunity to see how rewarding it is to give back themselves.