Community service helped shape my character because it has given me many new traits. For example, one thing I was able to gain from my service is responsibility. I have been helping at St. Clare to assist with their Religious Education program for the past fourteen months. On Saturdays, when I help out, I wake up extra early to make sure I am there for 8:30 sharp. On Wednesdays after school, I manage my time wisely because as soon as I get home, I do my homework so I can get to St. Clare right away. Also, community service has taught me that people can help out their community in different ways. Service can be activities such as cleaning up local areas, handing out flyers, and helping students in the classroom. Earlier this year, I went to an abandoned cemetery and cared for an area that hasn’t been paid attention to in a very long time. Even though it’s an important site, people didn’t treat it right, so we helped make it look presentable. This justifies how I gained compassion because community service makes you care for the people, places, and things around you.
Community service strengthens the community and helps make the world a better place. For instance, when people do community service, it helps everyone come together as a group to make a change. It allows people from different areas to become one big, happy community. We can all do many tasks to benefit the world and society that we are a part of. Community service can be something like picking up items that people litter, or lending a helping hand to those in need. It doesn’t matter how much service you do, but you should still try to do it regularly. No matter how much or how little you do, your impact is still making the world a more enjoyable place for us all to live in.

Annabella Montalvo
7th Grade, IS 24
Staten Island, NY