A Personal Reflection Of Volunteering

1. In the summer of 2017, I volunteered once a week for 6-8 weeks with an organization called The First Tee, which works with youth to teach them life skills via the game of golf. Starting as young as 5-6 years old, the participants learn to play golf and develop their skills in the sport, but a large aspect of the organization’s mission is to teach children life skills such as integrity, honesty, and responsibility. Through golf they learn to be courteous to those around them and to always act with integrity as well. My role was to help the other coaches run the golf classes, making sure they ran smoothly and that the students were safe and enjoying themselves. Through this experience, I was able to develop skills in several areas, such as team collaboration, as well as managing a class. I worked with at least one other coach for every class, so it was my responsibility to work well with my counterparts, and I also learned to supervise children and be an effective role model, which can be challenging with children so young. Young students often lack focus and the understanding of how to conduct themselves, but this was valuable in that it forced me to try different approaches to find the most effective in keeping them in control but also making sure they were happy.

2. Over the course of 9th and 10th grade, I volunteered on occasion at the San Francisco Food Bank. I did not volunteer on a consistent schedule, but the experience was valuable nonetheless, as I knew my work