4People Club by Mia

4People Club by Mia - December 2013 Scholarship Essay

I had created 4People Club with a magnanimous heart, wanting to give back to the community. The summer before sophomore year, I had come across data that showed how organizations and institutions struggled in receiving volunteers to help out. I therefore organized a club to promote students in Peninsula High School to go out to help our community.

However, three months after launching, only few students had signed up, a reflection on my undeveloped leadership skills. Thinking that I could do everything by myself, I repressed my officers' talents. They constantly pointed out that our methods of reaching the community were ineffective. Things did not work out as I initially thought. When we had the offer to volunteer at Boys&Girls Club, the few members of our club and I immediately accepted the offer and volunteered on the weekends. But I started to feel that our efforts were in vain, that no one really appreciated what we were trying to do. When I was going to talk to the supervisor that 4people club will probably not be coming anymore, I overheard some of the kids asking where the “tall people” were. They said they liked having us around. Even with a few members, I realized we were able to impact on the kids' lives. My desire to give back to the community was renewed by the fact that my club made a difference.

Creating this club has enhanced my life greatly because I was able to do so much with our club. During our meetings, students would bring up new events each time and I was surprised with how many people willing to get involved. I believe that through this club I was able to strengthen my ties to the members of the club and broaden my support network, exposing myself to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities. Seeing that many of our members were willing to give so much of their time for volunteering impressed me and I was certain that my volunteer experience is definitely something I would continue doing for the rest of my life. The feeling that I can shape someone’s life for the better is unexplainable.

Reflecting over the past year, there was never a week without challenges; I had to think about: how to spread the word, how to promote my club and events we were hosting, and above all, how to make a difference in my community. However, my failures taught me not only to work with other people but also to cherish the relationships that I made. I now know that it is not enough to have good intentions; to accomplish something, I need to have a thorough plan and follow through. Now, as my club continues to attract new members each year, I am proud to say that we have started a club that has positively influenced peoples' lives involved with it.