I’ve realized that a lot of people around me are very driven by what is the best decision for them, individually. I’ve realized that I have quite the difference in values – I’m trying to constantly make the decisions that benefit the greatest number of people around me.

In trying to be better about updating the old blog, I needed to share one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. If you read the blog faithfully, you know that I love my first graders at Harding Avenue Elementary School. It’s, by far, the favorite moment of my week.  This morning, I didn’t have my homework done by 10:00 a.m. but I had to get to see my first graders – I just left it to be done later.

I met a mom in the classroom this morning who asked me why I was doing community service, and although i was a little offended regarding her tone (I was doing the community service out of my own personal desire, to be honest) I welcomed the opportunity to explain to her the background.  I got involved with the YMCA at Virginia Tech during my freshman year at Virginia Tech and got randomly assigned to work with Mrs. Earles and Mrs. Day’s classrooms for the academic semester.  In the next semester, I requested the same classroom.

The next year, I gained a leadership at the Y at a Program Leader. In 2010, I began to assign myself as one of the many volunteers that would work their classroom.  After the second year of being a program leader, I decided to step down from two leadership positions in the YMCA, and continued my volunteer experience even though I was no longer affiliated with the YMCA.

So, I was able to explain to the classroom mom that for the past five years I have had the beautiful opportunity to see so many different classes of students come through this school.  The students who are in the fifth grade now were first graders when I began at Harding – and now I am able to bond with the Kindergartners, even, and continue to connect with students that I mentored, and helped learn to read, in the past. It blows my mind how much my life has changed since those days when I first began.

All in all, my passion for helping others shine through when I talk about my students.  I am impressed by them and humbled by them, all at the same time, every single time that I interact with them.  I love them.