Bennett Egge

When I first walked into Creative Player, I had feelings of nervousness and anxiety that the children I was serving would not open up to me, that they would see me as an outsider. Through working with the same group for over three years, I have had some of the most humbling experiences all while connecting with kids that I now consider friends. By predominantly tutoring Hispanic students in English, I have seen their linguistic abilities increase tenfold, allowing them to navigate their lives with more confidence and to immerse themselves in daily American life. I serve because I love seeing each individual child grow both intellectually and socially, and it makes me feel accomplished knowing I have helped people that are truly in need. Through these experiences, I now understand the everyday struggles that many of these children endure, and will continue to work my hardest in providing a safe community in which they can prosper.

Service to me means putting others before oneself to make a difference in someone’s life. Service is helping other people while making them happy. It is not something I did just to get hours but something that made me happy while guiding a stranger down a better path. Service has allowed me to grow as a person and positively impact other people’s lives and give them hope. To see the impact I had on others while taking my time away from me allowed me to see what good I can do in this world.