"Sign" Me Up by Ryan

"Sign" Me Up by Ryan - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

I was inspired to complete a volunteer project for my community to earn a Diamond Clover Service Learning Award for 4-H. This award enables a member of 4-H to make a significant impact on the community while demonstrating his leadership, as well as planning and organizational skills. The project must be of lasting value, have some sense of longevity, and be large enough in size and utility to be worthy of Diamond Clover recognition, which is the highest leadership level in 4-H.
I chose to build a Welcome sign, and erect it in a small community, named Jennings, Maryland. Many of my relatives are from, or still live in this small community with a population of only one-hundred citizens. Previously, there was no sign and the community was, to many people, unidentified. Jennings has a rich history for such a small town, beginning when the Jennings brothers bought the land and started a railroad line to transport lumber and coal. This provided many jobs for the residents at the time. Jennings was an early settlement in my county. I felt that the small community should be recognized for its significant impact.
The welcome sign will be a permanent fixture with a long-lasting benefit to the community. The sign depicts a train with a railroad tie foundation to display the deep rooted heritage of the close-knit community. I visited the local library, historical society, and museum to research the history of the town. I learned that after purchasing six thousand acres, the Jennings brothers built a sawmill, company store, a hotel, and houses for their employees. Many of these structures are still in existence today. My great, great, great grandfather was employed by the Jennings brothers. While researching, I was delighted to find his paystub. He earned .16 cents an hour in 1905. Because of his hard work, I was more inspired to recognize this area. I spoke with the landowner about building the sign on his property. I collaborated with the community members to get their input about the project. I met with business owners in the community and surrounding communities for donations to offset the cost of building supplies. The project required many hours of planning and organization. I had to submit the project to the state 4-H committee for approval. I acquired assistance from family, friends, neighbors, and other 4-H members to build the sign. I gave them assigned tasks based on their age, ability, and knowledge. People helped dig holes, cut boards, shovel dirt, paint, hammer, and nail. The sign was constructed to sustain all weather elements, so it will represent and impact the residents and visitors of Jennings for many years. As we were building the project, many people would stop and admire the work. Some people commented about “the beautiful design, “and, “it’s great to see we are finally on the map!”
I learned so much from this volunteer activity. Not only did I improve my engineering skills, but I also learned the importance of community partnerships. The volunteer work taught me many things, from trade skills to personal growth. I learned to double check everything I do, and to do everything with a purpose. If one small step of the process were incorrect it would be detrimental to the remainder of the project. I was able to reinforce my technical skills but also to learn something deeper. I learned to respect the community and also myself. One thing I really took away from this experience was the impact one person or one action can have. While I was working on the construction of the project, people drove by and complimented the work. To me, I was just constructing a simple sign, but to the people that have grown up or lived there for years it was so much more than that. My little bit of hard work is appreciated greatly by many people I may never meet. This experience was truly enriching.