I grew up with a dad who struggled with mental health issues -he was bipolar, had post­traumatic stress disorder from his chaotic childhood, and also had an alcohol addiction. My dad wanted to create an image that he had everything and that he had it all together. He saw sharing his problems as weakness, so he closed himself off. This pressure of having to work to craft an image of wealth and to keep his problems buried inside himself ended up becoming an overwhelming burden: a burden that he thought could be relieved with alcohol. I don't know exactly when his consumption became an addiction, but I knew the seriousness of it when rehab center after rehab center could only help him temporarily. In rehab, he worked with a counselor who tried to get him on the right track. She diagnosed him with bipolar disorder, but he refused to take medication. She encouraged therapy sessions, which he did for a short time, but then he decided that he didn't need them. Sadly, my dad thought that his image was more important than fostering relationships with his family and admitting that he needed help. Keeping up with the illusion of stability ultimately led to his death. Growing up with a dad who struggled with mental illness and alcoholism was a combination of highs and lows. Sometimes, when he was sober, things were great--he tried his best to be a good dad. But at other times home was a difficult place to be because I never knew what to expect. There was no peace when he was drinking. I also felt like I couldn't share this part of my life with anyone outside of my family, so I was very isolated. It's probably the same way my dad felt--he was ashamed to open up about his problems. I got through this difficult time in my life because of my mom. I’ve struggled with asking for mental health support. To be honest, I told my mom I wanted to change schools after my dad died. I just didn’t want to deal with the reality, and walking into school with all eyes on you because they know what has happened to you is hard. People don’t know how to act, so they mostly just stare. It makes them uncomfortable, because it makes them think about themselves – how, yes, they feel bad for you, but they are glad they’re not you at the same time. My mom wouldn’t let me change schools and she tried to encourage me to share how I was feeling. She has taught me how to work past struggles and helped me to grow stronger as a result. Her ability to put others first has served as the greatest example that I want to live by. From her demonstrations of selflessness, she has impacted not only how I'm dealing with my circumstances, but my overall outlook on life too. I have learned to put more consideration into the feelings of the people around me instead of being self-centered and prioritizing my life above others, because that is what will help me feel connected to and create a community with the individuals who are involved in my life. Besides those lessons, I’ve gained closer relationships with my mom, my brother, and my sister. We all realize how quickly someone can be taken, so we are all more intentional about spending time together and telling each other how we’re actually doing. My dad’s death will always remind me of the need to be open, love others, and forgive.

My interest in community service began my freshman year, but I don’t think I fully put my heart into service until after my dad passed away. My freshman year, my mom signed us up for an organization called Young Men’s Service League (YMSL). Its mission is to assist, serve, and support those who are in need in our community, and it’s also a way for sons and moms to serve together. I won the YMSL Outstanding Service Award in 9th and 11th grade, and the Superior Service Award in 10th grade. I worked at Feed My Starving Children, Dallas Life homeless shelter, and the Metrocrest resale shop, among others. After my dad passed away, I started to look at volunteering differently due to the overwhelming kindness my family and I received. So many people in my school and church communities stepped in to care for my family—I knew that I wanted to be that kind of person too—not the kind who just says, “If I can do anything, let me know,” but the kind who shows up and gets to work. My favorite organization to give my time to was Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, which ministers to the Dallas community. Their mission to help kids means the most to me. I was blessed to go to a private Christian school because my mom teaches there, so attended for free and got a great education. The kids that Brother Bill’s serves need some help in preparing for school, so I worked to gather books for the past two years in book drives for the elementary-aged kids that Brother Bill’s serves. Brother Bill’s also has summer sports camps for kids, and I volunteered as a soccer coach for two summers. I also served my school as a camp counselor and worship leader. Remembering the good times I had being a camper when I was in sixth grade, I volunteered to be a counselor thinking it would be fun to relive some memories. Initially, I thought that my role as a counselor was making sure the kids would do what they were told. But I noticed that when I prioritized my authority, my campers would have a worse attitude. However, once I started to engage in the activities with them, I learned I could have fun and also be responsible, instead of just watching over them and constantly looking for the bad. Through participating, whether in basketball, canoeing, or four-square, I got to know my campers. I also connected with my campers when I led our cabin devotions and opened up to them about my personal experiences, which I hope set them on the right path within their faith. My service in this situation was also a gift to me, because when I honestly shared the obstacles that I’ve overcome in my life, I could clearly see all that I have to be thankful for. My goal is to keep applying Martin Luther King Jr.’s view on service: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” As a student, I can only give of my time, but after I earn my degree, I can use my time and my profession to give back. I chose Human Dimensions of Organizations as my college major—it focuses on workplace interactions and how organizations can best serve their employees and customers. I want to work in consulting so I can help companies create better workplaces for their employees. My career goal is to use my heart for service to create workplaces that cultivate an environment of gratitude, and one way to do this would be to encourage company owners to focus on service to the community as an element of employment. Thank you for your time and for this opportunity.

My household felt like a single-parent household before it actually was. I grew up with a dad who struggled with mental health issues -he was bipolar, had post­traumatic stress disorder from his chaotic childhood, and also had an alcohol addiction. He wanted to create an image that he had everything and that he had it all together. He saw sharing his problems as weakness, so he closed himself off. This pressure of having to work to craft an image of wealth and to keep his problems buried ended up becoming an overwhelming burden that he thought could be relieved with alcohol. Sadly, my dad thought that his image was more important than fostering relationships with his family and admitting that he needed help. Keeping up with the illusion of stability ultimately led to his death. Growing up with an alcoholic dad was a combination of highs and lows. Sometimes, when he was sober, things were great-he tried his best to be a good dad. But at other times home was a difficult place to be because I never knew what to expect. There was no peace when he was drinking. I also felt like I couldn't share this part of my life with anyone outside of my family, so I was very isolated. I got through this difficult time in my life because of my mom. For as long as I can remember, she has been a guide who has taught me how to work past struggles and helped me to grow stronger as a result. Her ability to put others first has served as the greatest example that I want to live by. From her demonstrations of selflessness, she has impacted not only how I deal with my circumstances, but my overall outlook on life. I've learned to put more consideration into the feelings of others instead of being self-centered, because that is what will help me feel connected to and create a community with the individuals who are involved in my life. Growing up with an alcoholic father and now no father has been an obstacle in my life, casting a shadow on how I view myself and my future. After my dad died, I was afraid of being defined as "the kid who lost his dad," and I struggled to be open about my problems and emotions. However, I have overcome this obstacle by realizing that the only way to truly fulfill the heart is to open it up and surrender it to others. Although I live in a single parent household, I have persevered through the difficult times in my life and have used what I learned to give back to my school and my community. My service as a leader in the choir, in the Young Men’s Service League, and as a volunteer soccer coach and camp counselor have helped me to focus on the good in my life. I chose Human Dimensions of Organizations as my college major—it focuses on workplace interactions and how organizations can best serve their employees and customers. I want to work in consulting so I can help companies not only create better workplaces for their employees, but also serve their clients more effectively. My career goal is to use my heart for service to create workplaces that cultivate an environment of gratitude. To avoid repeating generational mistakes, I reflect on the good memories of my father but embrace the hard times too. This way, I can honor his memory while avoiding the mistakes he made, always remembering that alcohol doesn't relieve pain, it only hides it temporarily.