Celeste Vazquez

This year contained many new experiences from which I have learned how to become a better citizen. For me, there is no greater feeling than that of making a difference in someone’s life because the size of the contribution never matters to the other person. As their joy bursts through their being, community service becomes an irresistible activity that also teaches me things beyond the classroom. For example, no amount of tedious classwork can ever really prepare me for the struggles that many people face daily. Although the assignments may expose me to the idea of such obstacles, they can never truly be compared with the interactions created through service learning activities. I have grown as a citizen because I have found that a new sense of responsibility appears within me each time that I help someone. Although I view it as a responsibility, I do not see it as a tedious chore because I have always wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life – even if I gained nothing in return. For instance, at the beginning of the school year, I was a member of the Outdoor Gardening Club. For most of the meetings, I would tend to the garden (e.g. water plants, pull out weeds) and keep the environment clean and healthy for the creatures that would visit the plants. These duties of the entire club have gone a long way because our school has received recognition and praise for having such a pleasant site. Oftentimes, I tolerate others with whom I interact; however, I have learned to actually respect others by getting to know them. For example, at the St. Margaret’s Center Christmas event, I have volunteered as a child’s guide through the play center. Although I tremendously enjoy helping with the event, it can sometimes be difficult to cooperate with the large amount of children and people that surround me. However, I learned to focus on the good that I was doing with the simple task of entertaining the children while their parents find their gift. Through my community service, I also learned to understand the individual differences of others (e.g. age, gender, and ethnicity). As I volunteered in other activities at St. Margaret’s Center, I was able to interact with people who worked there, people who volunteered there, and people who were helped there. Every person had a different personality and perspective, but the environment was always pleasant and it allowed me to remain conscious of the diversity I was being exposed to while at the same time viewing each person as equals.