How Is Service To Others Important In Your Life?

Essay Prompt #3

Our motto is Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). How is service to others important in your life? I was never the one who wanted to volunteer. When I was in middle school, my parents always made me volunteer at places like schools and hospitals. I always went with the flow with my parents. I didn’t want to argue with them. As the hours of volunteering were stacking up, I began to notice something about the world around me. The environment that I volunteered in was an environment that if my family would live in it, my eyes would tear up. The environment I worked in was a place where people didn’t earn enough money, children live with divorced parents, and the problem of affording food was a topic I overhear. While I worked in these

Share a perspective or experience related to your culture, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status that might explain how you will enrich the climate of mutual respect and understanding here. My parents are immigrants from the Philippines. I grew up in an environment that reflected on how my parents lived. They never gave me expensive things like as toys and gadgets. They grew up poor, but managed to complete their education. They told me to always be safe with my money. Whenever I visited a friend with a different race and culture, I would sometimes be confused. Kids there were allowed to wear shoes inside the building. My parents would throw a fit at me if I ever wore my shoes inside the house. Likewise, whenever non-Filipinos visit my house, they would always have their shoes on and I would remind them to take them off. Also, when my parents have parties, they would cook food such as lumpia, pancit, and other delicacies, filling my house with a savory scent. When I went to a friend’s party, they’d order pizza and other catering. In contrast of my friend’s monotone ways, I have the variety, whether in food, friends, or communities. I believe I have the true “spice” of life, and I will add my upbringing and Filipino background

Keith was just one grade below me, so we’ve always been close friends. One day, my friends asked if I wanted to play football with them. I reluctantly agreed to play, leaving my brother behind. Towards the end of recess, I saw Keith standing in the same spot where we usually hung out. I was disappointed that he didn’t do anything. The next day, my friends asked me if I wanted to play again. This time, I asked if my brother could join. Keith wasn't a big fan of sports. He really didn’t like the people I hung out with either. He turned around and walked away. I followed him and asked him what was the problem was. Keith didn’t know what to do. He believed that he didn’t have the athletic ability to play. I had to be the older brother in this situation. I told Keith that he had a couple of options, either play with us, stand around and do nothing, or find other friends. It wasn't always easy to be frank and forthright with my brother, but I felt that my brother needed the proverbial “kick in the pants”. The next day, he managed to find something else to do, with a new group of friends. I’m glad that I could provide the impetus for his