How Volunteering Has Inspired Me To Make A Difference by Bryant

How Volunteering Has Inspired Me To Make A Difference by Bryant - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

It is unbelievable how blessed I am in all areas of my life. I am very fortunate to have grown up with supportive parents who have the means to provide me with necessities and other enrichment activities outside of school, such as community theatre camp, piano lessons, and voice lessons. At the age of five I attended my first theatre camp, igniting my love for theatre. After this camp, I started participating in community productions and continued attending various theatre camps until I was twelve. In addition to community theatre, I took piano lessons and voice lessons. I participated in piano festivals and singing competitions all over the state. I developed an undying love for the arts and performing, which would not have been possible without my parents who transported me to and from practices, lessons, and competitions.
When I entered sixth grade, I was eligible to be a member of a community service club called the Junior Beta Club. Every year in Junior Beta we used our club funds to buy Christmas gifts for needy children in our area. During this trip, I began to understand that not everyone, not even my classmates, has the opportunities and resources I have been blessed with. In seventh grade, I began volunteering alongside my mother as a music leader of Vacation Bible School at our church. This volunteering opportunity allowed me to meet children from around my community and teach them about what I love - music. With the level of poverty in my community, it is likely that these children would not have eaten a meal that day if they had not attended Vacation Bible School. I continued leading music every summer for Vacation Bible School through high school.
My mother is a teacher at my school, and recently had the chance to start a drama, art, and choir class for the whole middle school. When she decided to put on a musical with her students, she asked for my help and I jumped at the opportunity. I had the chance to co-direct a middle school musical with a cast of children whose ages spanned from sixth to eighth grade. The majority of students in the cast are below poverty level. About seventy percent of students at my school get free or reduced lunch. I loved getting to know these kids and learning about their lives, but I especially loved sharing my love of theatre with them.
With these various volunteering opportunities under my belt, I am inspired to continue making a difference in my community. I want to spread happiness to the children in my area who may not have a supportive family at home or a positive force to encourage them to excel in their academics and extracurricular activities. I want to share my love of the arts with these children and use my knowledge to teach them all I can. If I can set off a spark in one child’s mind that fuels their love of the arts, I will feel successful.