2016 service book for web

Service Society C L A S S o f 2 016

CHARLOTTE LATIN SERVICE SOCIETY The stated mission of Charlotte Latin School is to “encourage individual development and civility in our students by inspiring them to learn, by encouraging them to serve others, and by offering them many growth-promoting opportunities.” The Charlotte Latin Community Service Program provides numerous opportunities to meet these objectives.

Participation in our service program allows students to develop an appreciation and understanding of service to others. Through exposure to and interaction with people with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and socio-cultural traditions, students have firsthand opportunities to learn, to explore, and to find shared human concerns. These experiences help students discover abilities within themselves and others, while more fully realizing the joy of reaching out to other persons. It is the belief of the School that the habit of service to others is fundamental and is instilled by participation and action. The Service Program provides opportunities for our students to develop leadership skills so that they can more effectively serve the community at large.

The Charlotte Latin Service Society was created to encourage students to participate in the Community Service Program and to recognize those students who have made significant contributions in the area of community service. To be inducted into the Service Society, a fouryear student must perform at least 150 hours of service. Students who transfer into our school will have their hour requirements prorated.

Students may earn the necessary hours at any time in their Latin career, including summers, beginning with the summer before the ninth grade year. It is hoped that service to others will become a part of a student’s lifestyle and that a significant number of hours will be earned during the school year through the School’s service program. It is also hoped that the service will, for the most part, be service to those truly in need. Service must be rendered to persons outside of the Upper School and must benefit people outside of the student’s peer group or within non-school organizations of which the student is a member. Senior inductees will have their names placed on a plaque that will be permanently displayed in the School. The members of the Class of 2016 listed below have met the requirements for induction into the Service Society. This booklet has been created to recognize their achievement.

Eleanor Frances Anderson James Everett Atwell Emily Speir Barry Noah Clark Berens Mary Margaret Draper Brice Kaelin Rae Bush Kara Guo Chen Nicole Jane DeGeorge Ryan Karl Eubank Andrew John Fish Grayson Clark Goodwin Gauri Nitin Goswamy

Emma Nicole Haseley Tyler Alan Henry Abigail Grace Hinrichs Michael Vincent Julliard Caroline Davis Klein Tatiana Noelle Krzesicki Louis Henry Lambert James Townsend Layton Claire Tourné Lucas Mitchell Evan Malak Andrew Ward Maxwell Grace Haynes Morris

Elizabeth Caroline Medearis Myers Jay Parth Pakala Neil Nimish Patel Jack Monroe Ratterree Mary Adelle Robards Reilly Elizabeth Shea Thomas Hunter Sheridan Gabrielle Nicole Smith Joshua David Smith Olivia Victoria Sprow Katherine Claire Taylor Susan Taylor Woollen

SERVICE PERFORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE CLS UPPER SCHOOL Community Assistance Programs

A Gathering Place Appalachian Service Project Assistance League Blessings In A Backpack Crisis Assistance Carolinas Medical Center Family Promise Feed the People Friendship Trays Harvest Center Hinton Rural Life Center Hope for Hagar Adoption Agency Jacob’s Ladder Junior Charity League Kindermourn Loaves and Fishes Matthews Help Center Meals on Wheels Mecklenburg Social Services Metrolina Foodbank Operation Serve Operation Suitcase Project Backpack Project Starfish Rescue Mission Room in the Inn Presbyterian Hospital Salvation Army Christmas Bureau Santa’s Bag Second Harvest Food Bank Seeing Eye Dogs Teen Impact Fund The Relatives Uptown Men’s Homeless Shelter Urban Ministries Soup Kitchen World Vision

Charity Events

American Heart Association 24 Hours of Booty CROP Walk Cystic Fibrosis Society First Tee Hopebuilders Juvenile Diabetes Lukemia & Lymphoma Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer March of Dimes Matthews Alive Operation Christmas Child Race for the Cure Samaritans Feet Serve for the Cure Speedway Charities United Cerebral Palsy

International Support Darfur Habitat International Heifer International

International Mission Trips

Africa, Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Holland, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Tanzania, Ukraine, Virgin Islands

United States Mission Trips

Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia

Adults/Children With Special Needs Alexander’s Youth Network Allegro ALS Support Alzheimer’s Care Athena’s Path Brian Center Camp Boomerang Camp Camelon Camp Debbie Lou Camp SOAR Grays Gang Hospice and Palliative Care Joni’s Camp Lexi’s Voice Levine’s Teens Lose the Training Wheels Make a WISH Misty Meadows Nevins Center Project Linus Rainbow Express Special Olympics Thompson Child Development Center

Community Organizations

Bald Head Island Conservancy Bluff Mountain Nature Preserve Carolina Raptor Center Catawba Land Conservancy Children’s Theatre Classroom Central Foundation for the Carolinas Friendship Circle Girls on the Run Hands on Charlotte Humane Society Interfaith Hospitality Network Kids Voting Nature Conservancy Operation Christmas Child Project HALO Raptor Center Red Cross Therapy Dogs Teen Court Wing Haven

Tutoring and Enrichment Programs A Child’s Place Amigos Billingsville Elementary Central Avenue Bilingual School CHAMP Charlotte Emergency Housing Druid Hill Elementary Endhaven Elementary ESL Tutoring Freedom School Landsdowne Elementary McAlpine Elementary Yellow Brick Road Preschool

Eleanor Frances Anderson “A life poured out for others is a full life.”

- Tammy Anderson

Service has been a huge part of my high school career and one of the biggest blessings in my life. Both junior and senior year I tutored kindergarteners Faith and Marsean at Landsdowne Elementary School and this really opened my eyes to serve in the community around me. I also volunteered sophmore year at Camp Soar to continue helping people with physical and mental disabilities in the Charlotte area. Unfortunately, my summer junior year I couldn’t volunteer at Camp Soar as I was going to serve in Africa with my family for 10 days. In Africa I volunteered at the Mukaa Children’s Home in Mukaa, Kenya and at a baby home in Mogogosiek, Kenya.

On this trip I not only learned about a completely new culture, but about myself in what I love to do-service. I’m hoping to continue this passion in college by minoring in Non-Profit Leadership and getting involved within the community wherever I end up!

James Everett Atwell “Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.�

- Arnold Schwarzenegger Service is an opportunity for each of us to leave a lasting positive impact on the lives of those who are in need. It has allowed me to develop powerful bonds with a wide variety of people with whom I probably never would have had the chance to connect with in any other way. Whether it be small works in the community or weeklong endeavors hundreds of miles away, every minute I have spent in service of others has given me a clearer understanding of who I am and what I can do to make a difference in the world, and I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.

Emily Speir Barry “You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.�

- Kahlil Gibran

Throughout my life I have been grateful to spend time with those who are faced with diverse challenges. Whether it is mental heath, poverty, or the inability to thrive in a learning atmosphere, the people that have inspired me most come from all walks of life. Service is more than showing up to fulfill a requirement; service is a chance to connect with and learn about those who live differently than myself. Though during my service I felt like I was making only the slightest change in someone’s life, in reality I have learned that not only a helping hand but also a positive outlook can change a life. The impression that serving others has made on my life is unforgettable and I hope to continue my service work throughout the future.

Noah Clark Berens “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

- Aesop

Although counting service hours is often cynically viewed as a way to boost one’s résumé, my service experiences have been much more meaningful than this. Seeing the attitudes of those less fortunate than I am is a sight to behold, as some of the kids I have worked with are the most optimistic people you could imagine despite their challenges. Being able to have an interaction with some of the wonderful individuals I have had the opportunity to help has made me a better person. Helping these great people, in even the smallest ways, is rewarding.

Mary Margaret Draper Brice “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” - Dr. Seuss

When I was younger, my mom always taught me to ‘treat others the way I would want to be treated’ and I have tried to approach all my service opportunities with this attitude. My first summer at Camp Soar, a local camp for adults and children with disabilities, was the first experience that made me feel like I was truly serving others.

Camp Soar pushed me out of my comfort zone in the most rewarding way as I was able to form connections with incredible people that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to get to know. As I helped my buddy, Sydney, feel comfortable throughout her week at Camp Soar, I also learned so much from her positive and accepting attitude during the challenges and activities of the week. Throughout my participation in various service programs, I feel so grateful to have seen the world from different perspectives and I hope to continue opening my eyes to the experiences of others through service.

Kaelin Rae Bush “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable.

Every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I first became involved in service the summer after my freshman year at Camp Soar, and that’s when I realized how amazing it was that such a small contribution on my part could make such a huge difference in someone else’s life. After that time, service didn’t seem like an obligation. I continued my work and started to engage in service more often with clubs like Albemarle Cares and Lansdowne Elementary. Through my time in both Mosaic Club and service involvement it became evident to me that I should always try to help out others whenever there is a need.

Nicole Jane DeGeorge Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Romans 4:10

I’ve found that going out and serving others is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. Even when the service is being done for the most selfless of reasons, it still benefits the volunteer in significant ways. When I went to Haiti, it didn’t matter if we were playing with orphaned children or simply sitting down to help a woman as she washed clothes outside her home; no matter how big or small the act, the feeling you get when you have an impact on someone else’s life is unlike anything else. I hope everyone is able to experience that feeling at some point.

Andrew John Fish There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.

Acts 20:35 As I’ve grown and matured through high school, the true meaning and importance of service has become increasingly clear to me. When I started high school at Charlotte Latin, the term ‘service’ held a hollow meaning to me. From overhearing conversations between my sister and her friends, I understood service as nothing more than a requirement for college—another box to check to prove that I am a well-rounded candidate. It wasn’t until several people suggested to me that I try something new that my attitude changed. This new activity was volunteering at Autism Charlotte’s Hemby Center. It was there that I learned the joy of a child’s laughter, the warmth that comes from a child running up to greet me every day as I walk to the playground, and the transformative effect of patience and dedication. My twice-weekly volunteering sessions that I thought I would dread, quickly became one of the high points of my week. As I got to know the kids at Hemby, I became increasingly aware of how fortunate I am in life, and the beautiful things that happen when good fortune is shared. Service means recognizing how lucky you are and giving back to a world that is less fortunate. Service is the world’s way of balancing out the inequalities and injustices that countless people face every day.

Grayson Clark Goodwin “It takes no more time to see the good side of life than it does to see the bad.” - Jimmy Buffett

Throughout high school, service has given me a greater understanding of life outside of the Charlotte Latin community. I have been able to see so many different families living in many conditions, and that alone has been extremely rewarding and has helped shape my views as a young adult. The fact that people with so little can be so happy and peaceful is a very powerful thing. Signing up for the El Salvador mission trip during my sophomore year was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made during my time at Charlotte Latin, and it gave me a whole new perspective that I will always carry with me.

Gauri Nitin Goswamy “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.�

- Douglas Adams

Growing up fortunate enough to have privileges and a protected life, it can be very easy to take small things for granted, but everyone is not so lucky. One day in my old middle school I overheard a conversation between two girls discussing how they only ate cereal at home because their families could not afford to buy anything else to eat. I cannot describe how troubled, shocked, and guilty I felt for being so privileged and I wanted to see how I could give back to society. This feeling motivated me to help those I could. Throughout my years of service, it has never felt like an obligation but rather something bigger than life and if I can donate a little bit of my time to help others, I will absolutely seize the opportunity to do it.

Tyler Alan Henry “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

– Muhammad Ali

Service has been part of my life since I can remember. My parents instilled in me at a young age the necessity of giving back to the community when the community has given so much to me, and I feel like I’ll never be able to do enough. Giving back is also the opportunity for me to connect with other people and change their lives as they change mine, often leaving me with the feeling that they gave me more than I was able to give them. Every opportunity for service I’ve had has helped me grow as an individual and made me feel that I have a positive impact on the world I live in.

Abigail Grace Hinrichs “Love cannot remain by itself - it has no meaning.

Love has to be put into action and that action is service.�

- Mother Teresa

One cannot begin to truly comprehend the power of their service until they experience first hand the gratitude of those who receive their time and love. I have had the privilege of experiencing this appreciation on trips through Habitat for Humanity, in both Charlotte and El Salvador, as well as through my work with the children at Autism Charlotte everyday after school. Being able to construct houses, build lasting relationships, and contribute to the developmental success of the precious children at the Hemby Center have all had an impact on me in ways words cannot express and are experiences I will never forget.

Michael Vincent Julliard “Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

- Mary Oliver

Service for me is the offering of a person’s passion and gifts as an offering to those who would never otherwise experience it. But it is also a two way street; it is an opportunity for the person reaching out to receive just as much love and care from the person they thought they were caring for. As a species, humans have to take care of each other, rely on each other to survive. It only takes one brave act of kindness to begin a sacred interaction between two people with different needs to change the world.

Caroline Davis Klein “The greatest gift of human beings, is that we have the power of empathy.�

- Meryl Streep While we are a diverse human race, we have something in common. Not everyone can be good at everything, but everyone can be good at service. Everyone has the ability to give, though we serve others in a variety of ways. I see people smiling, teaching, listening, and reducing the burdens of others every day. Each time we give, we have an impact on a life, and our own lives are enriched as a result. At the start of high school, I thought that service was an obligation, but I’ve grown to understand the reason that we collect service hours. We get to know each other, and ourselves, by sharing. Through service, we gain purpose.

Tatiana Noelle Krzesicki “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.

Don’t wait for good things to happen to you.

If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” - Barack Obama Beginning before and continuing throughout high school, I’ve taught violin to young students at Winterfield Elementary School, served Charlotte homeless, and participated in various service activities through the Girl Scouts of America. Each of these experiences individually has been meaningful in the way that they have not only allowed the community to grow, but allowed me to form a clearer picture of who I am and what I desire to change in my community. Altogether, the hugs, the smiles, and inherent human necessity of community service has contributed to my understanding of the hope that appears when kindness and making the world better through others eyes is made important.

Louis Henry Lambert “If you got it, you give it.”

- Mom

Growing up, I was taught by my parents to give what you’ve got. They made me aware of how fortunate I am as opposed to many other people in this world. Whenever I have the opportunity to give a helping hand to those in need, I do my best to take advantage of it. Knowing that I have served and helped benefit my community is one of the best feelings to have.

James Townsend Layton “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

- Muhammad Ali

Service has been an important part of my life because it makes differences in other peoples’ lives that seem small at the time but could have big effects. It’s not about making yourself feel good or personal gains. Instead, it is about forming relationships and memories. Some of the friends and memories I have made while doing service will stay with me forever, and this is priceless and more important than any number of hours or numerical accomplishments I have achieved while serving others.

Claire Tourné Lucas “Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve.

You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.

You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Service means so much more to me than the hours I receive for doing it. It is so fulfilling and heartwarming to see the looks on people’s faces after you have helped them. Doing the smallest things for someone can brighten their day. Community service has helped me grow into a better person by being able to see things in a different light and making me realize how lucky I am. Service has become such an important thing in my life over the past four years and I will definitely continue to do service throughout my college career and after.

Mitchell Evan Malak “Help others and give something back.

I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.�

- Arnold Schwarzenegger

Service is not supposed to be about receiving. This statement may be true but through my countless hours of service, I have been fortunate to receive much more than I can ever give. The appreciation and thankfulness of those that I have been able to help and give back to, surpasses whatever work or effort I can pour into my service.

I am grateful for the service opportunities at CHAMP and on my mission trips to Reynosa Mexico and so much more, as these have helped shape me into the very person I am today.

Andrew Ward Maxwell “The life of man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.�

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I first became involved with service work through my church in middle school, I treated it as more of a social event than actual wholesome servitude. I went on mission trips with friends to various places and helped out with local projects. However, my early flaw with service centered on my unwillingness to step outside of the comfort of my church and friends to truly begin helping people. Not until 10th grade did I recognize my love for helping others, and returning to Latin in 11th grade allowed me to broaden my involvement. Throughout the past 2 years, I have enjoyed tutoring kids, teaching a classroom at CHAMP, and doing mission work in Reynosa, Mexico. My love for service has evolved into a passion to help children and improve our local community in every way possible. Experiences like seeing my CHAMP buddy grin as we read a funny story or hugging the first time homeowners we helped provide a home for have made me determined to continue helping others through college and beyond. Now, to me, service isn’t about recognition, but rather it is measured by the progress of the people I help and the happiness I deliver to those I touch.

Grace Haynes Morris “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

- J.K. Rowling

As I have grown up, I’ve been more and more exposed to the bigger problems of our world such as pollution, starvation, waste, death, etc. I can remember sitting in an Environmental Club meeting one day wondering why nobody was making an effort to help our Earth. Everyone was sitting around me shouting ways that we could make our world greener and help everyone, but all our possibilities were unreachable. I made a decision that day to start small and begin doing what I could in order to help any and everyone. After all, we can’t sit around complaining about the world’s problems if we refuse to do anything to reverse them, which is why doing service had always been incredibly important to me.

Elizabeth Caroline Medearis Myers “Be the reason someone smiles today.”

- Anonymous

There are very few things in this world that I love more than cows, trucks, and softball, but making people smile is one of them. Helping sick children pick out a little snack or coloring book at Levine Children’s Hospital, grooving to the beat with adults who have developmental disabilities, or helping a 7-year old experience aspects of the world that she would never be able to due to her socioeconomic condition through the Big Brother Big Sister program have given me ways to make other’s smile. Each of these wonderful people deserve nothing but happiness, so I strive to use each precious moment I am privileged enough to spend with them to brighten their days.

Jay Parth Pakala “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.�

- Mahatma Gandhi

Service should be more than a mere task meant to bolster an activity resume for colleges. Service allows you to form relationships with people in need, with whom you can work, learn and play. Service allows you to see the world in a brighter light as you make positive, lasting impacts on the people you interact with. Service allows you to use your passions while helping others grow. Service allowed me to understand the stories of the kids I worked with and relate to them on a personal level. To me, service is not only limited to those who are underprivileged but can also be extended to even a friend, neighbor or classmate. Service allows those you work with to feel safe and comfortable with the world. Service cannot be explained through a paragraph in the pages of a booklet.

Neil Nimish Patel “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

- Winston Churchill

Participating in community service has truly helped me see things in a different light and perspective. Whether it be volunteering at an assisted living and painting with patients with Alzheimer’s or cooking at CMC hospital for recovering patients, I have realized the importance of humility and being grateful. Volunteering teaches compassion, understanding, and humility. Every experience allows you to walk in someone else’s shoes. The most rewarding part of service is when I am able to bring a smile to someone’s face. Service has helped me learn how lucky my life is, and to be able to give back to those not as fortunate is the least I can do.

Jack Monroe Ratterree “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things.

He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.�

- Ronald Reagan

Volunteer work has been such a blessing to me as it has allowed me to relate and connect with people that I otherwise would never have gotten the chance to meet. I’ve learned firsthand that everyone does have an amazing story to tell if you give them the time, and helping people and learning more about their lives has allowed me to mature in mine. I definitely would encourage everyone to do some type of volunteer work, as you can serve in almost any area that you are interested in, and the people you meet and help will make it an unforgettable experience.

Mary Adelle Robards “If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.”

- Emily Dickinson I never expected service to have as much of an impact on my life as it has. When I started service activities freshman year, I never saw myself traveling to El Salvador during spring break, helping carry out the all-school service project my senior year, and spending my time after school with children with Autism. I had never even heard of Autism Charlotte before. Now I’m able to look back at all these amazing experiences I’ve had through service, and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to take part in these programs. Service really has been a true blessing to me.

Reilly Elizabeth Shea “‘Sometimes,’ said Pooh, ‘the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.’”

- A.A. Milne

My experiences of being a Camp SOAR leader or leading my team to the finish line at the local ALS walk have led me to experience the true joy in giving back to my community. The service that I participate in goes beyond just donating a dollar at the checkout line. My commitment to service for others includes providing a summer camp experience for special needs children and adults who otherwise would not have one. Knowing that what I do, without cost to others, provides the experience of a life time for my campers allows me to feel truly joyful in what I do. I see a direct and immediate impact on those I give back to. Through my ALS work, I have raised over $30,000 dollars which becomes invaluable compared to the support and love which I have conjured up for the local patients (including my father) to see, when I organize my team for the annual ALS walk.

Thomas Hunter Sheridan For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

Charlotte Latin has given me wealth in relationships, challenges, and community. To me, service work has been a great way to help reach out to those who have not had the same opportunities. Through helping struggling parents give their kids a nice Christmas, to running sports camps, and serving food to the hungry, service work has given me a great opportunity to foster relationships and appreciate what I have. Volunteering to offer a helping hand to someone in need has given me both joy and perspective.

Gabrielle Nicole Smith “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.�

- Winston Churchill

I first immersed myself in service the summer before my sophomore year, when I spent the summer interning for Promising Pages, a local non-profit that serves to improve literacy rates in children across Charlotte. Through this service internship, I was able to learn about the organization behind the non-profit while also spending time with children across the city at the book parties. During my junior year, I began to volunteer with Autism Charlotte at the Hemby Center where I spent afternoons working with children diagnosed with Autism. Service has been a true blessing to me over the past four years and I am excited to pursue future service opportunities in the next phase of my life.

Joshua David Smith “Caring has the gift of making the ordinary special.�

- George R. Bach

In my opinion, giving back to the community through service is the most important thing someone can do for society. I have had the satisfaction of volunteering with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, assisting them with everything from data entry to participating in multi-million dollar galas. The most memorable part by far was actually seeing and working with the people who I have helped. Whenever I volunteer my time, the part I love the most is actually seeing how I have affected others, and I have been able to see that many times throughout all of my service.

Olivia Victoria Sprow “Love is never stationary.

In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it.

Simply put: love does.” - Bob Goff

Though service is usually seen as just another club or extracurricular activity, it is much more than that. It is love that comes from spending time with others and putting yourself in their shoes. Service has an impact not only the lives of those who are helped, but the ones who spend their time helping others. It has the ability to create relationships and compassion. It has the ability to change lives. I’ve learned this though the relationships I’ve created and the difference they’ve made in my life while volunteering with children.

Katherine Claire Taylor Through love, serve one another.

Galatians 5:13

For most people, service is a way to reach out to the community around you and help others. However, I have learned through my time volunteering at Teen Court and the Siskey YMCA that service is not just an action you perform, but it’s entirely based on the relationships that you form in the process of opening yourself up and giving to others. It’s impossible to do any sort of service work without it having a meaningful impact on your life, because every time you give, you get back twice as much.

Susan Taylor Woollen “Do all the good you can… by all the means you can… in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, for all the people you can… as long as ever you can.” - John Wesley

I started to participate fully in service my sophomore year. I had done a few community service projects before then, but I never felt the importance of service until I joined Teen Impact Fund with Foundation for the Carolinas and started tutoring with Amigos. Teen Impact Fund really opened my eyes about serving the community because through this program, I was able to learn about various nonprofits in Charlotte, do site visits to some of these nonprofits, and also serve at a homeless shelter. I also learned how to go through a grant giving process through this program, which helped me realize that I would like to work with or even start my own nonprofit organization in the future. Service has meant so much to me through high school. I believe that serving others through various organizations has allowed me to become a stronger, more devoted and caring person, and through volunteering I have made many new friends and connections. I will definitely continue to serve in the future, and I encourage everyone else to do so as well. We can all make a difference, even to just one person. Someone that I would like to give a special thanks to is Mr. Stacks - thank you for encouraging me and your other students to do as much as we can for our community.

Congratulations Service Society Inductees Class of 2016 The Latin Community is proud of your giving spirit.