Outdoor Classroom

I and a friend of mine had the idea that we wanted to influence the community in some way in the summer of 2021. After spending about a week coming up with ideas, it dawned on us that we could build an outdoor classroom/garden at the elementary school connected to our high school. We came up with the idea, and after talking to administration about it, we were shocked by their response. They got in touch with us again and stated how convenient it was that a teacher had contacted them about doing something similar. It was ideal because we now had a teacher sponsor and only needed to come up with a workable plan for our project. From then, we worked tirelessly throughout the academic year—my senior year—to develop the outdoor classroom/garden. To receive funds for the project, we had to apply for a grant, which we ultimately won. The main work started after we received the funds we needed, and it was completed within two months. The Lake Norman Charter Elementary School students continue to benefit from the outdoor classroom/garden today.

Other Service

I have engage with children of all ages, from elementary school to high school, as part of my other service activities. I enjoy this kind of work especially since it’s fun to watch children become enthusiastic about future-relevant subjects. I’ve provided this service throughout the state of North Carolina and even into Florida, where my grandparents reside. My primary area of charitable work is aiding deserving families. Since my first year of high school, I have participated in The Salvation Army every year around the Christmas season. I enjoy raising money to donate to families in need. Additionally, I coached a group of middle school students in basketball last spring, and that was great since I got to watch young basketball players develop. Overall, I appreciate serving others very much and am just doing this out of genuine kindness for the community.