As someone who has been blessed with a roof over my head, food on my table, and clothes on my back, I have made it a priority to help others in any way I can, especially those less fortunate than I am. It deeply saddens me to know that there are millions of children in the world who not only lack educational and work-related opportunities, but access to basic necessities as well. My passion for serving others has led me to Rwanda on a number of occasions, however, I realized a few years ago that I needed to do more for those in my own community. In Bridgeport, Connecticut, a fifteen-minute drive from my house, I volunteer with Urban Impact. This organization resides in one of the state’s largest housing projects and serves the people who live there. Sadly, the area experiences high crime rates and is filled with rundown buildings that most often house low-income People of Color. In light of this, Urban Impact offers numerous programs throughout the year for the area’s at-risk youth. These programs include small group and one-on-one tutoring sessions, camps, and recreational activities aimed to help these children find success in life: academically, socially, and financially. In the last year alone, Urban Impact has touched the lives of hundreds of children and spent countless hours giving back to the community. Hoops, one of Urban Impact’s programs that I have been involved with since my junior year of high school, takes place every Monday night for two hours. In this time frame, volunteers set up basketball drills and games for the younger boys and then spend the latter part of the night discussing character building and development. While most of these sessions are spent shooting hoops, the focus of this program isn’t so much on practicing dribbling drills and plays, but more so on giving these children a safe and carefree environment to get together and enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, most of these children come from single-parent households that lack father figures. However, being able to volunteer with a great group of other young men meant that we are given the opportunity to act as father figures for these boys, even if it is just for a few hours every week. We are able to show them the care and support they deserve, but most likely were not getting at home. Each week, a lesson on character wraps up the night and touches on a number of topics such as how to live an honorable life, show respect to others, and take responsibility for our actions. We also teach the boys about leadership, loyalty, work ethic, and other traits necessary to succeed in life. In the same housing complex, I help run a summer camp called Week of Hope. It is essentially a Vacation Bible School for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade. It’s a fun week filled with games, arts and crafts, storytime, and plenty of food. To encourage participation and good behavior, prizes were distributed at the end of camp, which included a trip to Six Flags. Similar to Hoops, this camp gave children the opportunity to connect with their peers and enjoy a few hours a day away from the daily stressors they face at home and within their community. Being a part of an organization that does such amazing work running these programs has given me an entirely new perspective on life and taught me lessons as well on gratitude, hope, and perseverance in difficult times. Truthfully, I know the time and commitment I give to these programs is only a fraction of what these kids deserve, but I have truly been amazed to watch students grow up through these programs. I have been able to witness students grow and find purpose in life. As I recently watched a number of students I interacted with get accepted to some of the top high schools in Connecticut on partial and full academic scholarships, I know the work I do has had a lasting impact on their life and community. I believe that helping others in need and those less fortunate is the best way I can serve my community. Being able to make a difference in someone else’s life, whether that means playing basketball for a few hours every Monday night or helping to wrangle a bunch of energetic 8-year-olds at Six Flags, has shown me what it means to be a good person, neighbor, and friend.

Imagine getting into your car, sinking into the plush leather seats, plugging in your destination, then sitting back, relaxing, and scrolling through Instagram as the car drives you, completely independently, to your destination. The concept of fully autonomous, self-driving cars fascinates me and brings up so many questions. When cars no longer need human drivers it will completely change our culture. Car interiors will look more like living rooms and neighborhoods will dramatically change. Much of American life revolves around driving. But what will happen when we sit (or lay down) and our cars drive us to school or work? How old will you have to be to ride by yourself? Giving a car the ability to safely follow a designated path doesn’t seem that difficult, but all I have read and watched tells me that it is much harder than it sounds. Many companies are working on the technology, and companies like Tesla have already put out commercial versions. Now the question is; how long will it take for people to trust this technology? I wonder if the first graders I teach in Sunday school will ever need to learn how to drive? I am drawn to the idea of self-driving cars because they will have such wide-ranging ramifications. There is an amazing amount of technology needed for it to become a reality. There is the social component of people trusting the technology. American cities and culture will be redefined. I know when this becomes a reality it will completely change life as we know it. I am excited to see what the future holds for electric cars and how that will affect society.

It seems terribly unfair and morally wrong that the most important contributing factor to a person’s economic success is where they are born. If you are born in a first-world country, the likelihood you have enough food to eat and adequate shelter are exponentially greater than if you are born in a third-world country. So if I could create a college course on a contemporary problem, it would explore how we can raise people out of extreme poverty. According to the nonprofit World Vision, “736 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 a day.” That is a staggering amount of people who lack the basic necessities of life such as clean water, proper nutrition, and healthcare. Often, children, are the ones hit the hardest by extreme poverty. The 2017 UNICEF Child Mortality Study found that in lower economic areas like Sub-Saharan Africa “1 child in 36 dies in the first month, while in the world’s high-income countries the ratio is 1 in 333.” Most of these deaths are from preventable diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia. Unfortunately, even when kids in extreme poverty live, their physical and mental growth is often stunted due to malnourishment. I believe this is a crisis that can be eradicated in my lifetime, and progress is being made. Lifewater charity states, “Efforts to alleviate world poverty in the last twenty years have proven relatively successful, with the percentage of people living in extreme poverty being cut in half. But, there is still much work to be done.” Great strides have been made through coordinated efforts from governments, businesses, charities, and religious organizations. If we truly work together to combine the best efforts of these organizations the world will look far more equitable twenty years from now. I have seen first-hand organizations raising people out of poverty. I have sat with savings group participants in Rwanda who share how the microloans they receive pay for healthcare or to start a business. I have seen the nutrition and agriculture training that keeps children alive and fully nourished. I know the political and logistical constraints are challenging. But I believe if we can teach the next generation how realistic it is to alleviate extreme poverty, then my generation can make a major impact in this world.