STARA Class Assignment

During my volunteer hours I learned a lot about my own community I that I have not been able to experience. For example I have never been able to participate in so many writing programs and workshops in my local high school, this is because I also did not attend my own local high school because my mother did not allow me to instead, she asked me to attend a charter school. By partnering with LA826, I was able to attend different writing workshops where I would help different high school student write essay, cover letters, and personal statements. Furthermore I believed that most of my activities consisted of just being able to listen to some of the students.

In the course of my time at Union County College, I was able to participate in measures that aided my community and those in need. I took part in the donation and creation of care bags which were donated to the Salvation Army. This initiative was made by AESNJ as part of their statewide drive to help those who lack the resources needed to obtain day to day necessities such as hygienic supplies, socks, tissues and other essentials. Additionally, I made a financial contribution which went towards aiding Syrian children. Helping individuals in need encouraged me to participate in Strides against Breast Cancer a walkathon which generated money for women whose lives were impacted by cancer. The financial donations assisted women who were unable

While volunteering at Discovery Challenger I have exclusively worked with a blind man named Geno. My service to the Discovery Challenger Program has positively affected the community in that the athletes that required a helper were able to have me as one despite the limited number of volunteers who helped the athletes. Another community service I committed myself to while in high school was the club Life is Delicious. Life is Delicious is a club that between two and three times Year members of the club cook a warm meal at the high school, and then some go to the St. Vincent DePaul Homeless Shelter in Waterbury. At the end of my sophomore year I was named Co-President of the club. As a member of the club I went to all of the cooking and serving activities and was able to help the homeless of Waterbury by giving them a warm meal. The most impactful service I performed in my opinion was during my junior year when I was the organizer for the Penguin Plunge. During my junior year I thought that it would be a good idea for the basketball team to do the Penguin Plunge in order to raise money for Special Olympics Connecticut as I had done so in the previous two years. So, I approached the athletic director

In tenth grade, my English teacher posed the class with a question: what are you going to do for your community? She emphasized the importance of making a positive impact, even if it meant simply smiling as you hold the door open for someone. She prompted us to go out of our comfort zone and do something for our community. While I had been volunteering at Church and at school, I had never really taken a step out of my comfort zone. Instead of just helping out in, say, a soup kitchen, I decided that it was time

While I have been blessed with many opportunities that helped me grow by pushing me to new limits, my volunteer work at South McKeel Academy through National Honor Society is my most memorable. The way I was brought upon this experience was not with the average vote. One morning I showed up to the 7 A.M. meeting ready to hear about how all

Volunteering at the Laurel nursing home was an eye opener for me. I had done volunteer work before but the one that inspired me the most was for Laurel Nursing Home. As a group from AP Fatheree Vocational Tech Health Science class, we would go to the nursing home whenever they would allow us to come. At the nursing home, we would come up with games and activities to play with everyone such as: cards, bowling, family feud, and karoake. The best part about volunteering there was seeing the joy on their faces as we all walk in. Our presence meant more to them then we all would have expected especially for the ones who rarely got visitors. Being able to sit and listen to some of the stories they had to tell was a blessing. Although, I learned

I have participated in the program Lunch Is Served, held at the First United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls. The goal of this program is to gather volunteers to pack lunches to aid the working poor, ultimately fixing the major hunger problem in Sioux Falls. I have attended this volunteer opportunity five times, and plan to volunteer again in the future. Essentially, those who participate pack as many brown paper bag lunches as possible in a streamlined fashion. Included in the bag is usually various nutritious snacks and a wrapped sandwich that will be given to those in need. My experiences there was very humbling, due to the fact that it made me realize the impact one person can have on the community. All it takes is a half hour of

After much thought about what I would want to for my volunteer project, I finally settled on the “Feed the Homeless” campaign organized by the Southwest Rotary Club of Las Vegas. This experience allowed me to work with the fantastic organization, Rotary International, and has given me the opportunity to better myself, both personally and professionally, through working with great people and overcoming the challenges presented to me.

Over the past several months, I have volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House. I prepared snacks for the residents and provided entertainment through arts and crafts for the children who lived there. I enjoyed hearing the stories that the residents shared and learning about their struggles. I specifically cherished painting pictures with a little boy who was a cancer patient himself. His mom told me and other volunteers the heartbreak of his prognosis and the story of his ongoing treatment. During another visit to the house, I had the opportunity to meet two twin little girls from Texas who were looking forward to seeing their first snow. I believe I provided some entertainment for the children in order to give the parents some time for themselves. Also in the past, I have volunteered at several church fundraisers serving meals and clearing dishes. Not to mention, last summer I helped out at Animal Adoption Foundation, an animal shelter where I exercised the animals and cleaned up after them. Plus, for many years I have participated in a community cleanup. Recently, I have also begun helping at Roll Hill Community to provide young boys in low-income families with activities to keep them out of trouble. Finally, through school, I volunteered at Peaslee Neighborhood Center in an impoverished neighborhood working towards bettering the futures of the local children. I found each of these volunteer opportunities to be very rewarding because I believe I am making a difference in my community and other communities and improving the lives of the people I touch. Similarly, I connected with several children experiencing different issues, but nonetheless, I provided the same

Volunteering to feed the homeless is truly an eye opening experience to what reality is. There is an estimated one hundred million homeless people in the world who are starving and are trying to find a way to survive. On a day-to-day basis, we see homeless people everywhere such as on the streets, by the freeway asking for money so they can feed themselves, or maybe even feed their own family. One day, my mom and I decided we had to take action after witnessing so many homeless people on the streets.When people are in such a difficult situation, their only option is to beg for money because they have no roof over their head, and no food to eat. Many of these people are suffering from their own decisions, unemployment, or for other personal reasons. There are many homeless people who are sick and suffering from severe mental illnesses. It breaks my heart seeing homeless people in the streets, so I knew I had to take action and help out someway. The experience of volunteering to feed the homeless was most certainly a life changing experience. It made me realize how grateful I am for my life, how important it is to help those in great need, and to never take a meal for granted or roof for granted. This event was one that happened in the spur of the moment but has also changed me as a a person by becoming more involved and helping out more in my community , learning to never taking anything for granted, and by not assuming all homeless people are bad people as such.

Another meaningful experience that sticks out to me is when I regularly volunteered at a children’s homeless shelter in Roxbury, Mass. for two years, and was reminded of the fact that the statistics we hear every day about homelessness are real people – not just numbers. Every child I played alongside,

For my Service Learning project I volunteered at Larsa Banquet Hall as a server for a youth group dinner production. I refilled water pitchers, collected dirty plates and helped clean. I also volunteered for the Turlock High School play and was given the job of box office manager. I gave up my lunch period for three weeks to go sit in the PA building and sell tickets. I then had to go to all eight shows an hour early to sell tickets before house opens and stay and help sell concessions, and then after the show was over I would have to help clean up. I like to believe that both the events I volunteered for helped benefit the community by providing entertainment. They both made people laugh and whenever people left either event, they all had a smile on their face. Almost everyone I talked to after the play told me how good the cast did and asked when the next production would be. It was satisfying knowing that I had a part in these people’s happiness, even though it was a very small part.

Given the diverse nature of my community, I had the opportunity to volunteer with people from a variety of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. For instance, I mentored a fourth grader who was experiencing behavioral problems in the classroom, having trouble with his schoolwork and

Having the opportunity to volunteer with organizations that work to enhance the lives of this demographic has been insightful, taught me a great deal, and changed my own perspective on life. It led to the realization of how different our

I have been volunteering before I was old enough to know I was volunteering. As the youngest of four, I happily came along whenever my parents and siblings volunteered. But, community service is not just something I was taught to do; it is something I love to do. Today, I serve others in ways that are closer to my own heart. Serving people and animals “who don’t have a voice” has been and always will be central to who I am. I spent this summer raising awareness and funds for foster children, and I am excited to use those funds this November to personally decorate and deliver new duffel bags with supplies to foster children in my area. Additionally, I have loved dedicating my time to a local animal rescue where I have participated in animal