Preschool to Senior Year: A Journey of Growth, Community, and Giving Back by Tyler

Preschool to Senior Year: A Journey of Growth, Community, and Giving Back by Tyler - January 2024 Scholarship Essay

During the summer before my senior year, I collaborated with the director of the Cloverdale Senior Center to brainstorm ideas for a service project. The previous year, I volunteered for the center, writing letters for the seniors at the center. The director approved my idea to spearhead a raffle fundraiser to benefit the center. The raffle doubled my fundraising goal, raising just under one thousand dollars.

I secured donations from generous local businesses and organized two creative holiday raffle packages. The Green Thumb raffle package featured a custom redwood planter that I built, a nursery gift card, and Starbucks coffee. The Holiday Favorites package included a dinner for two, a bakery gift card, a wreath, and more. I built the planter box with wood I was able to get donated by the local lumber mill. I publicized the raffle flyer I created through various channels, including the local paper, school newsletter, and social media. I recruited a friend to help sell tickets at the center’s holiday fair and holiday tea with me.

Beyond monetary gains, the initiative heightened awareness of the senior center within the community and provided an avenue for residents to support the center. At the holiday fair, I facilitated a card-making event for the community, fostering community participation and cross-generational engagement. The goal was to create uplifting holiday cards for local seniors, with the intent of alleviating loneliness of the local seniors during the holiday season. When I wrote letters previously to the local seniors, I saw first-hand the positive appreciation and impact one letter can make on the senior community.

This fundraising effort wrapped up at the senior center’s annual holiday tea in December. We sold tickets, spoke at the event and I had the honor of presenting the funds raised to the director. This project held personal significance for me since the director is my former preschool teacher. Working with someone I’ve respected since I was three years old, made the experience deeply rewarding for me.

Through this project, I gained valuable insights into community dynamics and developed practical skills, including project management and communication skills by collaborating with local businesses, and community members. As a bonus, I learned how to construct a planter box. It was also rewarding to experience my community’s support and holiday spirit to help raise needed funds for the senior center and help make our community a better place.