Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/96437
Growing up we were often told how we should "give back to the community" – as if "The Community" is some abstract entity. For us, community service has been about becoming a part of our various communities and finding ways to explore the world around us. We started getting involved in service projects because we felt it was the "right thing," something we should do. Yet we've come to realize that community service doesn't have to be a burden, something we feel guilty about not doing or something we can cross off our list of things-to-do-to-get-to-heaven. Community service is simply using your talents to better your community. It's about finding something that's important to you – something that you want to improve or change. Nikki: I think service is most enjoyable when you find where your talents and interests overlap with needs in your community. My interest in education has led me to after-school tutoring programs at my local elementary school and park district. I pass by these schools daily, yet before tutoring, I had little interaction with these communities. I still feel triumphant when I remember the moment that my third-grade student Courtney finally understood multiplication after weeks of blank stares. Watching her experience something for the first time and going on to complete her eights times tables (a number she thought she would never reach), inspires my passion for teaching and learning. Community service can take on different forms, and I love supporting my school community because I can tangibly see the effects of my efforts. Leading the Student Academic Board (SAB) has been an important means for me to help integrate student feedback into curricular planning at Latin. SAB has allowed me to become more aware of and involved in the inner workings of the Latin community. Kara: I helped create a soccer program for children with special needs called VIP, or Very Important Players, when I had to pick a service project for my Bat Mitzvah. The program is run with AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization), and we meet for an hour every Saturday to run soccer drills and scrimmage with our "Buddies." Four years later, I continue to participate. I've become close not only with my individual Buddy, but also with the other Buddies, their families and fellow volunteers. At a private school I haven't had much exposure to students with significant mental or physical disabilities, and through my participation in VIP, I have been introduced to a new community within the city. While the Buddies may process information and movement differently than I, I've learned to recognize and focus on our similarities. To me VIP is no longer a service project – it's just a part of my everyday life now. Community service is about becoming more aware of your environment and finding your niche in the world. Our experiences have helped us discover that giving back to "The Community" is a benefit of being human, and not an obligation. "I think service is most enjoyable when you find where your talents and interests overlap with needs in your community." Nikki with children to whom she taught English in Guatemala; kids that Kara works with at VIP soccer. Latin School of Chicago 43