How I Was Inspired to Make a Difference by Megan

How I Was Inspired to Make a Difference by Megan - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

I am a senior in high school this year. I have been a varsity football and basketball cheerleader all four years of high school. I have also been a Certified Nursing Assistant at our local home for almost a year.
One afternoon after school, I was in my cheerleading uniform when I had to run down to the nursing home where I work at. Many of the residents recognized me and didn't know I was a cheerleader. They were all excited seeing me in my uniform. Some of the ladies even commented that either they were once a cheerleader or had a family member that was once a cheerleader.
When I left the nursing home, I went back up to the school to get ready for the big game. I had an idea to run by the rest of my squad. I asked if anyone would be willing to go with me down to the nursing home the next time we had a home game, if they would do a few cheers for the residents. Everyone on my squad loved the idea and quickly agreed to do it.
Two weeks later, my cheer squad and I gathered down at the nursing home and performed our fight song cheer, and a few others popular cheers. The residents enjoyed it and was even saying the cheers with us and was clapping along to the cheers! We had such a great time doing this for them.
I realized something after doing this, that I not only made several people's day by taking about a half hour of my time to do something nice for the residents, but that I too really enjoyed doing this for them. It made me feel really good inside to give back some of my time to give the residents some entertainment.
The rest of the squad felt the same way as me. We have now started going down once a month when we have a home game. The residents are always happy to see us come and perform. I hope that future cheer squads will continue to do this for the residents of the nursing home.