Service Catherine Mcauley the Meaning

Service

Catherine McAuley

The Meaning of Service

To whom much is given, much shall be expected."

In my life, I have been given many great things. I have a wonderful and supportive family. I am a part of a strong yet academically challenging school community. I have a loving network of friends, friends who would do anything for me, as I would do anything for them. Thus I believe that truest meaning of service is to recognize what one has been given in life and use this as motivation to give in equal measure back to others who have not been bestowed with such natural gifts.

One of my greatest joys has been acting as a mentor to young people. Although I know I am still young myself, I remember how much I looked up to older students when I was growing up, and how these mentors acted as role models for me later in life. Sometimes a person who is only a few grades ahead can seem like a more realistic role model than an adult. This is why I have been so involved in tutoring younger students. I love helping students who may be struggling in certain areas, or who can simply benefit from added enrichment activities. I try to help these children find within themselves a love for learning that will last a lifetime. I hope that I will have a permanent impact on the way these children view school and the learning process. I also find that being a teacher helps me better understand my own learning, and to be a better student. And yes, it is fun to be a younger student again, and to rediscover all of the joys of learning the lessons I have half-forgotten with the stress of high school!

This illustrates another principle of service -- by giving back to others, you are also giving back to yourself. I like to think that in my own way I am paying tribute to the people who mentored me, when I was growing up and still formulating my own ideas about school, myself, and the world. This sense of paying tribute to past mentors by aiding others is further evident in my offering of free babysitting services. Growing up, I saw how difficult it is to strike a balance between work and family for parents. Having affordable and reliable childcare is very important, especially for working moms today, and I like to think that I make the lives of parents a little bit easier, and that they can have peace of mind when they leave their children in my care. Taking pride in being regarded as trustworthy is another way that performing service is a gift, for both the person who serves as well as the recipient of the server's gift.

Perhaps my most rewarding service activity, however, is volunteering as a soccer coach. I love being out in the open air with my team, and giving pointers to the young players who look up to me as an 'expert.' No, I'm not an aspiring Mia Hamm although I love the sport -- but who knows, maybe one of the players I coach will grow up to be the next Mia! It doesn't really matter, of course, what matters is that the skills sports teach young people allow them to feel good about themselves, and teach students the value of teamwork. Playing as part of a team reinforces social skills that will last students a lifetime, like listening to the coach (yes, that's me, I admit I'm biased!), treating their fellow players with respect, and also having patience with some of the mistakes of their team members. I point out that if you have patience with someone else's mistakes, the other members of the team will have patience if you later make an error on the field -- and no one is perfect, even the coach! I am proud of my team's record, and even though we may not have won every game, I know that every game the team plays as a unit is a victory for the team's collective character. So long as the team tries hard, I feel as if the team has won. I hope the moral lessons I teach, as well as the need to live a healthy lifestyle in a fashion that makes you feel good about your body will last for forever.

Finally, I am also a peer tutor for students my own age. I have learned so much doing this, as this often brings me in contact with members of my high school whom I would not know otherwise, had I not accepted this position. Again, mentorship by someone in your age group is an education for both the tutor and the student. I also return to my own schoolwork with greater appreciation for what I know and do not know.