[b]Directions: Choose one of the following two topics and write a short essay. (Recommended length: 250 - 500 words)
When I was young, my parents were not always the most generous to those in need. Whenever we passed by a homeless person, we would almost never acknowledge them, acting as if they were invisible. They believed that everyone should have to work for money, not beg. Deriving from my Chinese parent's point of view, I had the stigma that homeless people were always crazy and lazy and I should not mingle with them. However, when my parents started up their own restaurant, there was someone we encountered every few weeks. He was a homeless man who carried around a towel attached to a large pole and a bucket of water. He came into the restaurant one day and asked if he could wash our windows in exchange for food. My parents decided to give him a chance, seeing that he was trying to benefit his quality of life by working. Once he was done, my parents were surprised by his work and praised him. The reaction on the man's face was full of gratitude.The homeless man came back every few months to clean our windows, always expressing appreciation, until the day my parents closed down their restaurant. Since the first day the man came into my parents' restaurant and seeing how much of a difference my parents made in his life, I was inspired to help those in need.
In high school, I am involved in a service club called Key Club, for which I am the current president. I strive to help others, even those who just need a few hands to help. I am inspired to give back to the community by volunteering at community organized festivals and fairs, the local library, and the Ronald McDonald House. Being in an environment where everyone is there to help people who are going through tougher times made me believe in the goodness of society. I embraced the Westernized view of putting time out of my day to help others. The experience in my parents' restaurant and my involvement with volunteering has shaped who I want to be in the future. I know that through helping others, I have the ability to make a difference in someone's life.
When I was young, my parents were not always the most generous to those in need. Whenever we passed by a homeless person, we would almost never acknowledge them, acting as if they were invisible. They believed that everyone should have to work for money, not beg. Deriving from my Chinese parent's point of view, I had the stigma that homeless people were always crazy and lazy and I should not mingle with them. However, when my parents started up their own restaurant, there was someone we encountered every few weeks. He was a homeless man who carried around a towel attached to a large pole and a bucket of water. He came into the restaurant one day and asked if he could wash our windows in exchange for food. My parents decided to give him a chance, seeing that he was trying to benefit his quality of life by working. Once he was done, my parents were surprised by his work and praised him. The reaction on the man's face was full of gratitude.The homeless man came back every few months to clean our windows, always expressing appreciation, until the day my parents closed down their restaurant. Since the first day the man came into my parents' restaurant and seeing how much of a difference my parents made in his life, I was inspired to help those in need.
In high school, I am involved in a service club called Key Club, for which I am the current president. I strive to help others, even those who just need a few hands to help. I am inspired to give back to the community by volunteering at community organized festivals and fairs, the local library, and the Ronald McDonald House. Being in an environment where everyone is there to help people who are going through tougher times made me believe in the goodness of society. I embraced the Westernized view of putting time out of my day to help others. The experience in my parents' restaurant and my involvement with volunteering has shaped who I want to be in the future. I know that through helping others, I have the ability to make a difference in someone's life.
