Best and Brightest Essay Example for Free

Best and Brightest Essay Being at a pivotal point in our lives, middle schoolers especially, are easily influenced. Whether it’s a new fashion trend in your favorite magazine, the album of the latest â€Å"artist to watch†, or your friend’s opinion on how to answer number seven on your math homework, we are always being influenced or influencing someone or something ourselves. Citizen involvement and volunteerism not can only influence you, but also those around you, because I believe it is our civic duty. It is our responsibility to give back to our community, whether you’re leading or following, because as Edith Wharton once said, â€Å"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.† Volunteering starts with one person, a candle in the darkness, and eventually that light spreads until that once very small light, is being reflected in a hundred different ways. I have always been inspired to give back to my community, because my mom taught me volunteering was important at an early age and inspired me to complete community service on my own time. However, some kids don’t have it as easy as I do when it comes to inspiration and willpower to volunteer, so I try my best to preach the importance of volunteerism to my friends and family. Especially to my friends, because I believe most voluntary community service done by students comes from the influence and inspiration of their friends. It is my personal belief that students are more obligated to give back through the â€Å"buddy system†, because lots of students, including me, like to have friend there with them, through the process when trying something new. In order to spread light, there has to be flames, which in lots of cases are friends who volunteer. You can’t light a candle without a match, so you obviously can’t get into volunteerism without a cause or reason for doing so; much less influence someone else to start volunteering. However, when we do find a cause we care about and connect with, we are able to dedicate time from our lives to give back to it. For me it was helping troubled kids in my community. It all started when I was volunteering for KLES EDEP in seventh grade for my student service learning project. Though I enjoyed every second of it and I loved the kids I worked with, I wanted to make a bigger impact by helping troubled kids, who weren’t as lucky to be blessed with an upbringing like mine by becoming a juror for Teen Court. I’ve dedicated many, many Tuesday nights to the Leon County Court House Annex and I have no intention of stopping, as I have aspirations of becoming a Teen Court lawyer sometime next year. I’ve even convinced a couple of my friends to start attending with me. I also tutor elementary school students on weekends and after school, but I soon hope to start tutoring Godby High School students with my church next year. It’s really a wonder that few events here and there could blossom into a great habit that hopefully will become lifelong for me and those who I inspire. It’s amazing that something as small as caring about a cause can influence you to volunteer in your community, which can in turn influence your friends and classmates to make a difference, too. Even if it’s half-jokingly proposing to start volunteering at least once a month! You just have to believe you YOURSELF can, because that is being â€Å"the candle†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ and that is what causes â€Å"the reflection†.