Christopher Lara, March 18, 2016

                This past Wednesday was jam-packed and important in my life because I received the Rotary Youth Citizen Service award. The amount of preplanning to make sure this day went smoothly was immense, but I was able to get through it all successfully. The people who have guided me throughout my life, like my mom and dad, have shown me the value of diligence and dedication. I mentally thank them every day and am grateful for their parenting, whether they know it or not.

                The lessons they taught me helped me get the Detroit Rotary Youth Citizen Service award, which is a scholarship for $1,000 dollars. In the application, I had to write about my service projects, my duties at home, and any role models I had, along with some other topics. These three topics were easy to answer because of the experience I earned with my mom and dad. The service aspect was volunteering and working with Cadillac Urban Gardens and Scarcyny. The reason I started to go to these projects were because my mom went and made me get out of the house to help the community. I didn’t know what effect it would have five years ago, but now I see the benefits of listening to my mom’s suggestions. The role model I wrote about was my dad because of his outstanding drive to work and provide for our family. He was easy to write about because all of the lessons on being a man came from him. The duties in my house came from both of my parents, and they helped show that I also provide some services to maintain my home.

                When I went to the meeting, I had to speak about these topics, and I couldn’t have been more excited to talk about the experiences that helped me become a leader. It was my chance to show them the effects volunteer projects have on communities. It was a great event with important information and tasty food. I’m glad that I was selected for the award, and I am eternally grateful for the mentor who helped me get there.