Senior Spotlight Volume 5: Serving the Community

Entering high school can present many new challenges. Not only do you have to keep up with rising expectations, but you may also have to make new friends and expand your social circle. One way many students do this is by joining clubs. EBHS offers a wide range of clubs where students can meet new people, make new friends, and explore new interests.

Unfortunately, school clubs rarely present the opportunity to go outside. Students, like Samantha Alter, overcome this by joining extracurricular activities like girls scouts. During her time there, she was awarded the Gold Award, which is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn (only about 6 percent receive it). The Gold Award she won was named “Food Allergies; Avoiding Cross Contact and Contamination.” To win this, she “presented to younger troops, the library, farmer’s markets, and even a Girl Scout troop in NY about my topic!.” Later, in the interview, she said, “it wasn’t about the award; it was more about making a change in the community.”

Another activity that Samantha participated in was color guard: “Color guard was something that I started when I was a sophomore, and I would have never tried if I didn’t go to the first meeting – and even then, I was a little skeptical, but it turned out to be one of the best things I’ve ever done.” Color guards are a team of performers who perform choreographed dances and routines with a marching band or drum.

Most people after graduation would go to university; however, if you enjoy outdoor activities like girl scouts and patriotic activities like color guard, then joining the military might be a good fit. Natalya Perez plans to serve the community by “going into the navy, and after that, the Marines.” Many people who plan on joining the military will have a strong reason, whether to learn new skills or serve their country. Natalya’s reason is that she “came from a very underdeveloped place, so if [she] had stayed there, it wouldn’t have worked out well, so [she] wanted to serve the country that gave me the best shot of life and be a part of something bigger than myself.” Joining the military can provide individuals with valuable life skills, such as discipline, leadership, and teamwork. It can also offer opportunities for education and career advancement.