The Call of Duty by Stephanie

The Call of Duty by Stephanie - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

The summer before my sophomore year of high school I was fortunate to be able to travel to La Libertad, El Salvador on a mission’s trip. My eyes were not only opened to another culture but one in which many who lived there could not afford basic necessities. Perhaps the biggest heartbreak was seeing how this affected the children. While there we visited an orphanage to play with and get to know some of the kids. Upon arriving we were warned not to touch the children’s heads or allow them to touch our faces. It was a precautionary measure so that we would not contract any diseases that the children might have. Within minutes, however, each of us had a t least five kids jumping on us, smiling and laughing! They were so excited to have visitors come to play with them and yet we were devastated by the limited amount of physical touch we could give them. The kids simply craved an embrace from someone who cared about them.

This experience was life-altering. Children sick without the access to medical care or the knowledge of how to get better? Heartbreaking. But not only in El Salvador. In India, Africa, and even the United States. And the number of people, no different than you or I, who are in desperate need of medical service is growing each day. All for the lack of certified medical personnel being willing to go and volunteer. This problem is compounded by the fact that due to the retirement of Baby Boomers the number of nurses in America is dwindling. Who will take up the mantle of care for those in need?

As a result, it has become both my passion and my goal that one day I will be able to help those who cannot help themselves. To achieve this goal I am embarking on the path to becoming a pediatric nurse in the fall of 2017. While the four year journey will not necessarily be easy, I believe that I am ready and up for the task. Upon graduation it is my heart’s desire to help children and give them the chance of living a healthy a healthy life.