Time by Sahil

Time by Sahil - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

“Thank you, Mr. S”, Malcolm said with a wide grin as he watched me place a gold sticker on his worksheet.
It was my first day volunteering at ESY, a program designed for autistic and special needs kids. When I walked into the school that morning, I saw a wave of excited kids inundate the two front doors. They poured into the front lobby while eluding the cautious grips of their parents. I followed the narrow corridors to my classroom, analyzing the walls of vibrant art posters that surrounded me along the way.
After I entered the classroom, the teacher assigned me a topic to teach. “What Time Is It?” titled the worksheets. I glanced at the kids and saw them eagerly chatting with their neighbors about normal kid topics: food, video games, and dunking basketballs. I was excited by the opportunity to share my knowledge. “But what if the kids don’t like me? What if I mess up?” I thought. I had no experience teaching younger children before.
My psychological tug of war between enthusiasm and apprehension was interrupted by a group of three students who sat in small wooden chairs in front of me. After passing out a worksheet to each of the kids, I saw three different expressions: one of boredom, one of exuberance, and one of confusion. With a deep breath, I carefully explained the process of telling time from a clock. Two of the students responded correctly to my questions and proceeded to complete the worksheet. The third student, however, had trouble with concepts of the big hand and little hand, as well as counting by fives. Yet in the midst of his confusion, this student, Malcolm, had a curious smile on his face. His eyes wide with interest, Malcolm paid close attention as I repeated the concepts. Malcolm continued to ask questions, showing his deep resolve to master time. “What does the nine on the clock mean, Mr. S?”
Malcolm nodded enthusiastically as I explained the material to him, but when I started giving him practice problems, he became confused all over again.
After the big hand and the little hand showed that an hour had passed on the classroom clock, Malcolm was speeding through the problems, exclaiming each answer as he scribbled it. I will never forget the way Malcolm reacted when he completed the worksheet: “I got it, Mr. S! I finished!”
The sheer look of joy in his eyes as he handed in his worksheet was striking to me; a student so motivated and happy to succeed, I thought, was destined to go far in life despite his learning difficulties. I felt deeply satisfied in knowing that I had helped advance the knowledge of someone younger than me. I was able to teach Malcolm, a special needs student, a skill that the rest of us take for granted: the ability to tell time.
Although in that instance, I was the one teaching Malcolm, he also taught me something in return. His enthusiasm for learning despite his initial struggle taught me to use that approach to further my education, both in the classroom and out.
I have had the privilege to make connections like these with many members of my community and they have each inspired me in turn. Since middle school, I have always been an active participant in my community, from volunteering with members of the police force to spending time with senior citizens to training to become an EMT.
The fulfillment I’ve received while helping others has made me realize that I want to continue my public service for the rest of my life, either within my career or as a volunteer. During my time in college I want to be a mentor for students in local schools to assist them in finding their own paths to success. I want to help more Malcolms in the world, and I want to see their smiles and excitement about what the future holds for them.