pinkkittens
Feb 16, 2011
Undergraduate / "learn the most from what you do every day" - Spelman College personal [2]
Prompt: Seeking knowledge and commitment to service are integral parts of the Spelman experience. Discuss and illustrate ways you have shown your commitment in these areas.
A great unknown author said "the essence of intelligence is extracting meaning from everyday experience". To me this quote means that you learn the most from what you do every day. If I strive to serve others every day then I am also seeking knowledge. The knowledge that comes from serving others is irreplaceable. I have learned about myself, humanity, and the joy of life from helping other people. I have volunteered at my church, and my community center, but the most meaningful experience for me was volunteering at an orphanage in Haiti.
On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the capital of Haiti, Port au Prince, and the surrounding areas. Millions of people were either killed, injured, or left homeless by the earthquake. During the summer of 2010 I went to visit some of my family in Haiti. While I was there, I volunteered at the Le Petits Orphelinat D'Anges, or the Little Angels Orphanage. It was very sad to see how the children lived.
There were not enough toys for all the children and the kids had no personal space. Many had just lost their families. They had no medical care and it was impossible for the people at the orphanage to give them a lot of attention. The children had scabs and wounds all over their body. Half of them had runny noses and cried almost constantly. Throughout the year, children would die from illnesses that would be easily treated in the US, such as strep throat.
While I was there, I helped with cleaning, changing, and, feeding, but I also read to the kids and sang stories to them. We played tag in the yard and they laughed at me when I ran in fear from the unfamiliar bugs. I tried to have conversations with the older kids. We talked about our schools, fashion, our friends, and our goals. I was amazed at how similar we were. For every English word I taught the kids, they would teach me multiple creole ones. They taught me the right way to kill a bug and how to make a proper mud pie. Most importantly, they taught me about life. It is not the money and expensive things that matter. It is friends, family, and happiness that matter.
Leaving the orphanage was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. I had grown close to all of the children. The orphanage became my second family. After leaving the orphanage I realized what I want to do with my life. I love how resilient and inspiring children are so I want to work with them, and after seeing how much the children need medical care I have decided to become a doctor for underprivileged children. My trip to Haiti taught me about life and made me realize what I truly want to do with my future. My experience was truly life-changing and the knowledge I gained from helping the children in Haiti is irreplaceable.
Prompt: Seeking knowledge and commitment to service are integral parts of the Spelman experience. Discuss and illustrate ways you have shown your commitment in these areas.
A great unknown author said "the essence of intelligence is extracting meaning from everyday experience". To me this quote means that you learn the most from what you do every day. If I strive to serve others every day then I am also seeking knowledge. The knowledge that comes from serving others is irreplaceable. I have learned about myself, humanity, and the joy of life from helping other people. I have volunteered at my church, and my community center, but the most meaningful experience for me was volunteering at an orphanage in Haiti.
On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the capital of Haiti, Port au Prince, and the surrounding areas. Millions of people were either killed, injured, or left homeless by the earthquake. During the summer of 2010 I went to visit some of my family in Haiti. While I was there, I volunteered at the Le Petits Orphelinat D'Anges, or the Little Angels Orphanage. It was very sad to see how the children lived.
There were not enough toys for all the children and the kids had no personal space. Many had just lost their families. They had no medical care and it was impossible for the people at the orphanage to give them a lot of attention. The children had scabs and wounds all over their body. Half of them had runny noses and cried almost constantly. Throughout the year, children would die from illnesses that would be easily treated in the US, such as strep throat.
While I was there, I helped with cleaning, changing, and, feeding, but I also read to the kids and sang stories to them. We played tag in the yard and they laughed at me when I ran in fear from the unfamiliar bugs. I tried to have conversations with the older kids. We talked about our schools, fashion, our friends, and our goals. I was amazed at how similar we were. For every English word I taught the kids, they would teach me multiple creole ones. They taught me the right way to kill a bug and how to make a proper mud pie. Most importantly, they taught me about life. It is not the money and expensive things that matter. It is friends, family, and happiness that matter.
Leaving the orphanage was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. I had grown close to all of the children. The orphanage became my second family. After leaving the orphanage I realized what I want to do with my life. I love how resilient and inspiring children are so I want to work with them, and after seeing how much the children need medical care I have decided to become a doctor for underprivileged children. My trip to Haiti taught me about life and made me realize what I truly want to do with my future. My experience was truly life-changing and the knowledge I gained from helping the children in Haiti is irreplaceable.