Volunteerism: My Experience by Nori

Volunteerism: My Experience by Nori - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

Community service has become a major aspect of my life that has shaped me into who I am today. Volunteering is a way that I can give back to the world that does so much for me. There is no one way to define community service, because everyone has their own definition. However, it is not the definition itself that matters; it is what community service means to you. Is it the laughter of the special needs children when I help them bounce on the trampoline at cheer practice? Is it the squeals of the recreational cheer team that I coached when they win a competition? Maybe it is the joy on the faces of the veterans when they win a round of bingo. To me, volunteering and community service are all of these things. Volunteerism is a donation of my time in order to enhance someone’s life, even if it is only slightly. I view volunteering as a window through which I have an opportunity to change the lives of people, as well as my own.
However, volunteering is not only about aiding others. It offers so much more. Through volunteering, I learned valuable community and social skills, and well as gained valuable work experience. I learned how to work with children, the elderly, and those with special needs. In addition, I learned what it is like to have a job and responsibilities. Volunteering has played in a significant role in the shaping of who I am today.
Community service has been a resource for me to express myself and gain control of my life. After my father passed and my mother suffered a major stroke, leaving her permanently impaired, I sought an outlet, or an escape. I desperately needed a positive activity to take my mind off of the hardships I was experiencing. That outlet was community service. After a visit to my mother in the hospital, I would go to the public library and volunteer with their children’s activities. Seeing the overwhelming smiles of children after reading them a story made me forget about my problems at home. Volunteering has always been a way to bring joy into my life and to make my day (as well as someone else’s) a little bit better!
My first significant volunteer experience was coaching a special needs cheerleading team. As a special needs coach, I had to control a group of special needs children. They struggled to do many things on their own, and looked to me to lead them. It is from this experience that I learned to be a leader. I volunteered as their coach during my freshman year of high school, and that is when my leadership skills truly began to develop. I was responsible for instructing the team on cheerleading and ensuring that they did everything safely. When they would go out and compete, they would bring tears to my eyes. I have never met such an inspiring group of kids, and it is from them that I learned that no matter what comes in my way, anything is possible if you give it your best effort, and that all hardships can be overcome.
Coaching Team FIRE was not always an easy job. There were many meltdowns and times when I would want to give up. However, the joy that lit up their faces when times were good motivated me to keep going. From them, I learned perseverance. They would be elated when they successfully completed a forward roll, or learned a new dance. Every day, with their joy, they would remind me to enjoy the small things in life, and I will forever appreciate the endless giggles we’ve shared. That team made me proud and made me recognize how lucky I am to be healthy and well. They taught me that someone is always in need of help, and with my help, that person can succeed.
Community service made me realize that I wanted to participate in a profession that helped people. At first, I was unsure of what I aspired to be when I grew up, but I knew one thing: I wanted to make an impact in people’s lives. I developed a love of science, and asked myself how I could help people with science. I decided that my goal was to become a forensic chemist, so I could help solve crimes. That way, if a crime was inflicted upon someone or a loved one, those people would receive justice thanks to me. I truly feel as if volunteering has helped me recognize what it is I aspire to be in the future. In addition, I have goals of participating in more volunteer work throughout my life.
Volunteering is a significant way to make the world a better place and to grow as a person. I have impacted numerous lives through volunteering, and that is something that I take great pride in. Whether it was reading to children at the library, helping veterans play bingo, giving Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate, or anything else, I made someone’s day better, and that is an amazing feeling. In addition, I have developed numerous skills through volunteer work. I feel as if I have grown significantly through my community service. Community service has shaped me into a responsible leader. I am grateful for all that volunteering has done for me.