I believe everyone can make a difference. I highly dislike when I hear my peers saying “I’m only one person, how can I do anything? ” I think that’s what the problem is with some of my generation. Everyone thinks that they’re just one person and there’s just seven billion other ones out there who will do the work. They think “those other people won’t litter or they’ll recycle or finish the food that’s on their plate so I should’t have to. ” Realizing this from an early age I was determined to go against what everyone seemed to be doing.
Caring solely about themselves and how they look and if they have a Blackberry or not or how many likes they get on their Facebook pictures. Where was that going to get someone in life? Nowhere. Instead I decided I would invest my time in something useful. I always loved being outdoors and I developed a passion for the environment upon entering high school. So, what could I do that would make a difference in my life? I soon found my answer in tenth grade Advanced Science Research class.
Ms.Geraci, my ASR teacher, is one of the most fascinating women I know who knows a tremendous amount about science. She is not only an expert in biology but also an expert in teaching me about life’s valuable lessons. I really do look up to her. We were casually discussing the same topic of “I can’t make a difference” theme when she mentioned that our high school recently removed our paper recycling program because not enough people cared about putting it out.
Well, that attitude sounded awfully familiar to me and both of us soon decided we were going to get the program started again.Except this time it would be student run instead of teacher run. We decided that everybody in science honor society would have to participate in order to remain in the club. Every Tuesday kids from all different grades would pick up the paper recycling bins together during their off periods and transport them to the outside parking lot via a larger bin that was stored in the library.
Then the town recycling company could come and pick up the cumulative amount of paper from the larger bins.We created schedules, sent out emails to teachers and student participants, got the necessary bins together and hoped it would work. If this didn’t happen quick I was going to have a mental breakdown if I saw another student throw away a stack of old notes instead of recycling them. The program’s result? Our recycling system has been in effect since fall 2010 and is going great.
Honestly, me and my friends have some of the funniest times recycling. We push each other around in the bins and wave to our friends in class through the windows.The best part is kids show up on time, the paper is emptied and transported properly, and the entire thing is student run. Kids caring. Kids making a difference.
I wasn’t alone after all. This experience has solidified my decision to pursue a career in environmental engineering. I love nature and I feel strongly about the environmental issues our planet and the human race are dealing with. I cannot fathom the thought of our environment deteriorating because of increased human activity and neglect. I won’t stand for it.As a result, I hope to take an active part in solving earth’s many problems.
I feel that attending this school would be one of the first steps into helping me achieve that goal. Even though I’m only seventeen and I can’t even drive or vote or make any big decisions like that I can make the biggest one for myself right now. And that is to make a difference. To be that change and to take the first step. To help others to see they can as well.
After all, Arnold Glasow once said “improvement begins with I. ” It’s true. I can do anything. I can make a difference.
