WKCTC 2012-2013 Service Learning: Learning Beyond the Classroom

Page 10

Kindness Repaid (continued) she bites, that it hurts,” Heather said. “She explores with her mouth in much the same way that an animal does because they have no other option. She would latch on and not let go until pried off.” “We were all very cautious. I admit to a lot of trepidation as I approached this little girl. There were two of us walking on each side and one person leading the horse. Every once in a while, this little girl would start to lean over and look like she was going to bite my hand that was resting on her knee. I would tell her, ‘no, don’t bite …’ and we would go on.” The little girl wanted to put her hands in Heather’s hair and twist it around. “I did not mind that. At some point in the ride, I realized that she was being gentler with my hair. Then she started to lean in towards me and I braced myself for the bite,” Heather said. “Instead, of biting me, she leaned over and hugged me, resting her little body against my head. It was the sweetest thing in the world. After that, there were no more bites, just many hugs.” When the ride was over, the little girl’s mom asked Heather how she felt about the experience. “I told her that it was one of the best feelings. I look at that as one of my happiest moments,” Heather said. “I felt like I really made a

The Enormous Difference Volunteering Can Make

difference to that little girl.”

By Samantha Puckett it has.

“As a student and a mother of two, I am pulled in many different directions. I realized that if I have a plan, stay organized, and manage my schedule rather than just letting things happen, I can do more with the time that I do have,” Heather explained.“If not for WKCTC and the programs offered here, we would be doomed to low earning jobs with no future. Not for lack of intelligence or desire, but just due to geography and circumstances that keep some from attending a four-year university. “I can sum up how I have felt about being a student ambassador this semester with one word – grateful. I am

give back to others and that I have a chance to inspire others to give.

I never thought about volunteering before. Volunteering was always something other people did or something to read about in the paper and hear about on television. It was not something I did or even thought about doing until I became a student ambassador at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. When I applied for the Student Ambassador Program, I thought that it would just be another activity to set me apart from others on future college applications and résumés. I never imagined that being a student ambassador and volunteering would become such an important part of my life. It has led to invaluable life experiences and self-realizations that would not have happened if I had not become a student ambassador and begun volunteer work. free time can mean to a person in need.

“Being a student ambassador has opened many doors for me. I hope to continue to represent our wonderful school for as long as I attend.”

Before I became an ambassador and started volunteering my time, I was astonishingly self-involved. I never thought about helping other people, and my time was too valuable to me to look for ways to improve the lives of others. I thought only about myself and what would please me. I never thought that volunteering my time and helping others would be something that would make me happy, but

healthy sense of self-worth, and the knowledge that my time is being used in a remarkable and deserving way. It has also helped me to become a more outgoing and social individual. When I contribute my time to my community, I about what I have accomplished, knowing that what I’m activities have broadened my view of the world, distribute my time. For instance, when I volunteered at Barbecue on the River working for the Basty Boys BBQ and the Family Service and making food. I did not anticipate that a proportion of the proceeds that I was helping to earn were actually going to aid the Family Service Society. The Family Service Society is a very commendable organization. According to Family Service Society Web

another.

Page 10

westkentucky.kctcs.edu

westkentucky.kctcs.edu (270) 534-3069

Page 23


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.