Kids are the future by Sandy

Kids are the future by Sandy - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

One of my most memorable volunteer experiences is when I was playing football at Big Walnut High School. Being a part of that team meant you were practically a celebrity in my hometown and we went to the local daycare, Noah's Ark Learning Center, to spend a day with the kids. I needed some service hours for a scholarship and I figured that this simply would be the option. It was either going there or picking up garbage so I chose the first option. Initially, I didn't expect to get much out of it but I ended up learning a lot about myself.
When we first walked in, the kids were ecstatic to see us, kids from the ages of 4 to 10 ran up to us and hugged us and asked us so many questions. A lot of the little boys wanted to play football and looked at us as the highest level there was. Then it hit me, I was once in their shoes too. I remembered the time when the BW high school state championship team came to my 3rd-grade class. They signed our shirts and footballs and us little league football players looked at them as giants. I realized now that the tide has turned, I couldn't take it lightly. I knew I was a role model and inspiration to the kids in this town and I was gonna act like it.
We started off the day with our own football warm-ups and the kids were following our every move. Then we ran drills with them at different positions and played a huge game of two-hand touch football. We taught the kids how to stay active and how to work hard to become a good athlete as well as a person. I couldn't believe it, but now these kids didn't even want us to leave. I went in not caring much for these kids and came out with a completely different outlook on how I carried myself in my community. It reminded me of how many people like me are looked up to and I have to set a good example, like the ones before me. When I was really young I remember my role models saying "you are the future" and I never really let it sink in until I was the one saying it. The main thing I pulled away from that volunteer experience is that we as the younger adult generation must set a good example, or an example better than the life we live, in order to secure a successful future for our kids to develop in.