Personal Reflection: Gloria Parks After School Program

As Socrates once quotes, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” This is how I had to combat my discord with service learning. I signed up for Gloria Parks’ after school program. I was first asked to go door to door around Buffalo informing the public on their senior program, a volunteer job not for college students being required to take part in service learning. Once getting in touch with the head of the after school program, she would not contact me back. I would have loved to take part in their after school program which would have allowed me to engage in social justice, by helping children in need educational assistance. Unfortunately I was unable to have that opportunity,

I will be volunteering to help with the Amherst Skating Club’s ice shows. My tasks could possibly consist of working raffle tables, helping set up the shows, distribute costumes to locker rooms, working the spotlights, cleaning up, and any other job they may need me to do. My service to this organization will greater the chances of the shows running smoothly, thus I will be having a positive impact on and creating a positive, rewarding experience for the skaters and their families. I will become acquainted with other volunteers and coaches seeking to have a positive impact on the lives of the skaters. I expect my time there will have a positive effect on my life, because I have always loved volunteering my time to skating clubs. Ice shows provide skaters with a chance to get dressed up and go out under the spotlights and have those few minutes to showcase their talents and what they have learned. Providing chances like that to children give them something to love and work at, and it’s a very rewarding experience that I am grateful to say I get to be a part

In principle, everyone has a right to happiness, but in actuality not everyone will be happy. This can be related to my service learning experience, with the service learning department being equivalent to the child locked away in Omelas. They may be unhappy that I will be completing my volunteer hours with the Amherst Skating Club, but from their unhappiness will arise the happiness of the many. I will be completing my service learning hours and making a difference in the lives of younger skaters that are expressing an interest, or are already passionate about the sport of figure skating. These skaters, their families, and all of the members of the club will be happy as the result of volunteers taking the time to making the ice show run smoothly and a fun memorable experience. The vast amounts of happiness that will occur will be brought about as the result of the unhappiness of the few, therefore the consequence makes the action more right than