"The more projects I engaged in, the more I recognized that service satisfies both the person who is serving and the one being served."
Throughout my high school experience, I have found that most students, myself included, tend to focus on themselves. Making good grades, being involved in extracurricular activities, maintaining a good social appearance, etc. are all things that consume us in high school. Although these are important things, it is easy to become wrapped up by them and let it be the center of our attention. Being involved with Surge (formerly Flood) helped me gain a new perspective on life.
My sophomore year, I was asked if I had any interest in being a Surge leader and I answered with an easy yes. I was so thrilled to add another thing to my college transcript and gain a new title. It wasn’t until later on that I realized in order to have a true and genuine heart of service, I must have a heart for others and not myself. The more I participated in service projects around the community, the more I realized how insignificant my problems in high school were compared to the people I was serving. Service has allowed me to foster a heart of kindness for others and find something that I truly love.
Each service project that I participated in impacted me in a different way. One of my favorite projects was tutoring underprivileged fourth graders at Mimosa Elementary in Roswell. When I was helping a little girl with her math homework, she didn’t want to talk to me at all and seemed very shy. However, once we got to know each other, I could see her real personality shine through and her contagious joy. I gained a new little friend that day, and it’s safe to say that I learned just as much from her as she did from me.
The more projects I engaged in, the more I recognized that service satisfies both the person who is serving and the one being served. It’s a twoway street where both parties benefit and receive encouragement. I learned that you can serve others in big ways and small ways. What I mean by this is that you don’t have to complete a service project to serve others. You can simply find opportunities that come up in day-to-day life. In order to do this, you must have a mindset focused on others and not yourself. If you don’t have a heart willing to serve others, you won’t see the many opportunities around you. You have the power to make a difference in someone else’s life if you just possess a servant’s heart and an attitude of humility.
I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of something so humbling in my high school career, and I encourage students to be more involved in their community and open their eyes to opportunities around them. Service is something that I will carry with me beyond high school and throughout my life and one of the best things I can say I did in high school was serve others.