This is just the first draft so it is far from perfect! If anyone could think of a better opening line that would be amazing, also I couldn't think of an ending that could tie back to the paint and feathers thing :( I also had words that I wasn't sure which i preferred. Any help would be AMAZING, Thank you so much :)
Prompt: Reflecting on your involvement throughout high school or within the community, how have you engaged with one or more of Pitzer's core values?
My body is cloaked in paint. As I carefully pick off stray feathers that have clung to my clothes I notice the massive clumps of glitter in my hair and sigh. Looking in the mirror, I realize that my appearance is a lost cause and I [fling] throw myself onto the bed. I'm so exhausted that even the thought of a shower is completely out of the question. I shut my eyes but my mind [continues to remain] is still stuck in storytime mode. The last three hours of my day consisted of rambunctious five-year-olds, over protective[zealous] mothers, and myself mimicking the ferocious roar of a dragon. Our library storytime group had just wrapped up the final week of our Chinese New Year Celebration and I was exhausted. The past month was non-stop preparation, from researching Chinese-American story-books to pre-folding origami swans for the kids, my list was endless. Laying in my bed, I relished in the success of my team and drifted off with the images of smiling children in my head. As a youth leader of the James S. Thalman Library Storytime I have constantly devoted hours on end to educating children about various cultures, values, and lessons while stimulating their creativity through crafts and games.
I happened upon this program through my high school's Key Club and ever since my first day I was hooked. Being able to brighten a couple of kids' days made all the hard work, lack of sleep, and long nights finishing homework worth it. After my first few years in the program I became one of the group leaders and happily took on a greater role, receiving the chance to plan my very own month for the group. At the beginning of the year, we would designate a theme for each month and assign them to the group leaders. We had African American Heritage month, Presidents month, and of course Winter month which was a compilation of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Being a new member I was only in charge of one, but I was elated, ready to take on Earth month with a fighting spirit. Even though April was far off, I spent weeks perfecting my agenda. I began to look into tips for helping the environment, little things that even young kids were capable of- recycling, taking shorter showers, and turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth. I discovered the perfect book, Dr. Suess's The Lorax, whose protagonist is literally the guardian of the trees. After finishing the Earth cut-outs for our craft I felt like I was ready for my time to shine.
Finally the day came and I was overjoyed to see the kids having a blast while learning about the environment. They devoured the book page by page, mesmerized by what the Lorax had to say. After learning about the eco-friendly tips, we made it a contest to see who could collect the most recyclables by the end of the month. The kids were ecstatic, yanking their mothers shirts eager to go home and recycle. Their sense of urgency made me realize just how important preserving the Earth really was.
When I went home that day I thought about how much energy, food, and water that I waste on a daily basis, and I was astonished. From that day on I changed my lifestyle. I created a recycling system for my home, cut down my shower time, and even rode my bike to school a couple days a week. I wanted to be like the Lorax, an advocate for Mother Nature, and I was prepared for all the necessary changes. If granted the opportunity, I plan to take all that I have learned from volunteering and apply it to my time at Pitzer.
