Biography

A little over eighteen years ago I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ever since I was little my parents have, by example, instiled in me that helping others and the world is a great thing to do. Not only have I learned this from my parents and my brother, but also from my church family I have been a part of since I was born. During my life I have found joy in helping others. I do not think that any act of kindness is too small. My friends that that I am crazy, but ever since I was little I have not let my parents kill the bugs that live in our house. This is just a compassion towards others. When I was in second grade I had a very good friend in school with Down's Syndrome. I was his best friend and I always tried to help him in our classroom.

I have had many blessings in my life and many of them have come out of helping others. When I was in seventh grade, my family had the privilege of sharing our ome with a little Honduran girl for three months while she was in Albuquerque for open heart surgery. Although I was helping her, she actually helped me because she showed me how to look at the world through the eyes of someone who constantly struggled with just being able to breathe. Her heart was so damaged that even a few little steps made her turn blue. When she left Albuquerque she was running around with the neighborhood kids.

In tenth grade I had another amazing experience. I asked my church family to give me a sixteenth birthday present. The present was to let me head up a project to bake, package and deliver 14,000 cookies to the inmates at the Bernalillo County Detention Center. My church family and I sent six home baked cookies to each prisoner for a Christmas present. Although most people say that this project was the biggest service I have done, I think that all of these things are very important. Now, in my final year of high school, I have been honored by being elected the President of Thespian Troupe 1775 at Albuquerque High School. I once again have the chance to make a difference in my community. Not only is serving as an officer a way of giving to my high school, but I am also the one responsible for planning the community service projects for the Troop. We have collected cans of food at Halloween and, again this year, we baked thousands of cookies for the prisoners. I know that all through my life I will continue to give to others and serve my community and the world. Not only do my parents and my church believe in service, but I have learned for myself that this is one thing that makes life rewarding.