Service has shaped the way I understand community and the kind of impact I hope to have on the world. Over the years, I have spent more than 1,000 hours volunteering for my community, whether that be through cleaning local trails, helping stock books and run social events at my local library, or participating in community projects. While each experience was different, they all shared one constant: the building and strengthening of relationships. One of my first illustrations of this was coaching for youth swimmers in a marginalized area of my community. Many of the children I worked with were hesitant in the water. Many clung to the wall, fearful of even the most basic techniques. However, I built relationships with these students, learning about their challenges, celebrating small-victories, and encouraging them when they struggled. Slowly, I watched them transform. A child who once avoided the pool would confidently swim across it. Teammates who rarely spoke began cheering each other on. These personal connections taught me that service is not just about teaching, but fostering confidence. It was those same connections that inspired my Eagle Scout project. While coaching, I learned about the broader challenges families faced in this community. Many had limited access to safe family and community spaces and I saw a chance to make a lasting impact through the building of an intergenerational community garden. Through collaboration with my Boy Scout Troop, we transformed a barren hillside into a fully-functional community garden equipped with benches, a firepit, and barbeque. This project eventually developed into a space where families could grow food, spend time, and learn through the various Summer programs offered. Working alongside volunteers of all ages and seeing families planting and having Easter egg hunts together, reinforced that service can have broader impacts by developing relationships. Volunteering as a Karate instructor has shown me this principle on a more personal scale. Many of my students arrive hesitant, much like I once was. And just like how I grew and gained confidence through the support of my teachers, over time, I watched as they did too. I watched the shy students I once taught, encouraged their classmates with wide smiles and even started teaching their own students. Those small, personal moments of growth have highlighted just how important it is to support the growth of others. I witnessed this principle on a larger scale through my work with the National Youth Leadership Training program. As Assistant Senior Course Director, I organized and managed my staff to guide 50+ participants through team challenges and projects. At the beginning, many were hesitant, but over the course of time, they organized into teams, solved problems, and supported each other as leaders. Service has taught me just how strong collective action is. When my mother faced breast cancer, I saw the importance of community support firsthand. Friends and family all came together to support her through her experience. Inspired by her strength, my swim team and I partnered with BoysAgainstBreastCancer and raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research and awareness. This illustrated to me just how impactful a community can be. These experiences taught me that service is not defined by the work completed, but rather by the intangible impact and inspiration it has on others. By connecting with those I have served, I have seen first-hand the true value of investing in people rather than things. Moving forward, I will continue this trend of nurturing and create further spaces where others can learn and grow. Because inspiring growth in others is the more lasting form of service.

For me, service has never been about recognition or payment. I volunteer not for accolades, but to give back to the communities and individuals who have given so much to me. Leadership through service isn’t about telling people what to do, it’s about motivating, delegating, and doing the work alongside them. I’ve seen firsthand how true leaders lead by example, inspiring others through action rather than authority. My goal in every project is to share the lessons I’ve learned so others can grow, succeed, and contribute in meaningful ways. One of the most meaningful projects I organized was my Eagle Scout project at the Marin City Intergenerational Garden. When I first visited, it was a bare hillside with more tumbleweeds than usable space. I envisioned a place where families of all ages and backgrounds could grow food, gather, and create memories together. I pitched the project to the Tiburon Peninsula Foundation to secure funding, explaining how planters, benches, a grill, and a fireplace would transform the area into a lasting community hub. Once approved, I recruited volunteers, scheduled workdays, and guided construction. I didn’t just assign tasks, I worked alongside my team measuring, hauling soil, building, and problem-solving, making sure everyone understood the importance of their contribution. Hundreds of hours later, the hillside became a vibrant space where children, parents, and elders can interact, plant vegetables, sit on benches, gather around the fireplace, and host events like Easter egg hunts. Seeing the joy of families from different backgrounds reminded me that service can unite communities while creating a lasting impact. My experiences as a volunteer karate instructor and swim coach have reinforced this approach. Through years of training in karate and competitive swimming, I gained confidence and resilience I hadn’t known I had, and I wanted to pass those lessons on. As an instructor and coach, I mentor younger students, motivate them through challenges, and celebrate their growth. Watching them gain confidence and form connections, as I once did, shows the power of service: sharing your experiences can help people of all ages and backgrounds grow into confident, capable leaders. Seeing students transform from shy and insecure to empowered and engaged is one of the most rewarding parts of giving back. National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) has been one of the most formative experiences of my service journey. As Vice President of this week-long program, I led 50 participants and 20 staff members through multiple leadership events and activities. I coordinated schedules, delegated responsibilities, and guided staff in teaching leadership skills to participants. My most valuable lessons came from experience: letting participants grow through challenges, helping when needed, and showing how to lead by example. In teaching others to teach leadership, I strengthened my own skills, building confidence, patience, and resilience that no classroom could provide. I have also organized larger community initiatives. During our swim team’s partnership with Boys ABC (Boys Against Breast Cancer), I recruited swimmers across the county for a lap-swim fundraiser. I personally swam the most laps, raised over $1,000, and motivated teammates to push themselves. Our team ultimately raised over $10,000, showing that leadership through service combines personal effort with the ability to inspire others. For me, leadership through service is responsibility in action: being involved in every step, empowering others, and modeling the behavior you hope to see. Whether mentoring youth, coaching athletes, leading NYLT, or organizing community projects, my goal is always the same: to give back, share what I’ve learned, and bring people of all ages and backgrounds together and leave stronger, capable, and inspired, just as others have inspired me.