Starting in summer of sixth grade, all the way to my senior year in high school, I took a one week long mission trip with my church. These were always the highlight of my summer. I got to see a new part of the country, enjoy new experiences with friends, gain skills, and try to make a small difference for others along the way. Throughout my summers we traveled to Rockford, West Virginia, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and New Orleans. We were able to complete a wide variety of tasks depending on the needs of the community including gardening, painting, drywalling, building a ramp, leading a children's summer camp, and so much more. If I had to choose one experience that lead me to a career in philanthropic studies and sparked my love of giving and volunteering, these trips would be it hands down. I always looked forward to the opportunity to serve others in any way I could. These have been some of the best experiences of my life.
Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility
During my freshman year at Anderson University, a group of fellow students and I were able to take a weekly trip to Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility, and minister to a group of young men there. We would all gather together to read a chapter of a book that the young men could relate to and discuss anything they wanted as a large group. We would then break off into smaller groups so they often felt more comfortable opening up about their thoughts and feelings on the text and what it meant to them. Once conversation about the reading died down, we used the rest of our time just to get to know them on an individual level. We talked about sports, family, and life aspirations. This time was such an incredible blessing for us and I hope for them as well. It really gave us the opportunity to connect with one another and realize we are all more similar than different.