It was not hard to deliver a speech to a humorous and warm audience -- I saw expressions of happy parents on every single face.

I learned so much just by having lunch with you.  You are all patriots and community leaders who have made an impact on many lives, including mine.  I will continue to work hard in school, serve my community, and exemplify the ideals of a Kiwanis member.  Thank you again for honoring me.  Whenever I see my award, I will think of you."

"Good afternoon. First and most importantly, I want to thank the members of the Greater Lawrence Kiwanis Club for sponsoring these high school Citizenship Awards. It is through this continued encouragement that makes us young people strive to become more pro-active to better serve our greater communities.

Throughout my life, I’ve always believed you can’t give what you don’t have. Naturally, people chose to give in different ways.  I’m not just referring to material possessions, but the gift of ones’ self. 

I have been blessed with a strong, nurturing foundation through many special people and experiences in my life. The basis of this foundation was formed by the love and support of my parents and extended family, my loving friends and my devoted educators.  I’ve been a Catholic school girl all my life. Beginning at St. Augustine School from pre-school to the eighth grade, donning my black-watch plaid skirt and saddle shoes, all the way to sporting my Central Catholic polo shirts. I’m starting to believe that being in a holistically-focused environment has provided me with a lot more than just a fashionable wardrobe. My parochial school education and related life experiences have equipped me with a foundation of an open mind and a compassionate heart.

Because I have received so much in my life, I believe it is my responsibility to give back. To be honest, I stand here today before all of you and admit that it is uncomfortable for me to seemingly boast about my community activity efforts. I don’t deliver turkey dinners on Thanksgiving eve with my family or wrap presents for Project Bethlehem to insight people’s awareness of what kind of person I am; I don’t play bingo and cheat in Scrabble with the elderly to get a pat on the back or to win the whopping $2.00 prize; I don’t walk five miles to help raise money for transitional housing for the homeless to get noticed by those passing by; I don’t plan pep rallies and initiate fundraisers to get a write up in the school newspaper. I do it all for the common good; after all, one thing we all should have in common is to be good people.

Since I can remember, it is second nature for me to be aware of other people’s needs. One does not have to travel far to sense the disparities within our community. I can stand on the gym steps of my school and see the lines of people waiting for the food bank at Lazarus House, I visit my grandmother at her assisted living home and see how lonely some people are, I drive one of my friends home on a weekly basis because she can’t afford a car and her mother is always working. However, it comforts me to know that I have taken small steps in this marathon of hope. I believe it is through others that we learn the most about ourselves as individuals. Being exposed to these hardships and grounded by my concrete foundation, allows me to help people as a privilege and a choice, anything but a burden.

In particular, my high school leadership experience has allowed me to serve the community. This is one of the most meaningful and important to me. For the past three years I have had the fortune to be President of my class. This role as a leader, classmate, student, and friend keeps me humble. I have the opportunity to work as a team, develop trusting relationships, and initiate projects to enhance and encourage involvement in spiritual, social, and service missions for our school and the surrounding community. We, as Central Catholic students, raised money for Hurricane Katrina victims, collected cans for food drives, and cleaned out our closets to hand-down gently worn clothing to those less fortunate. My dedication to student government has shown me that people truly are inherently good and the power of people working together harvests promising results. This testament is what keeps me going.

In a recent college visit, the interviewer asked me “So Stephanie, tell me your plan to change the world.” The prompt was blunt and spontaneous, and my initial reaction was to go into cardiac arrest. I thought to myself, I’m just another 18-year-old girl trying to get into college, who is this guy kidding? I’m not conjuring up a remedy for any illnesses or drafting blue-prints for the next homeless shelter. But after taking a few breathes, I plainly responded, “I’ll change the world through the little things.” Engaging in simple and unassuming acts of kindness makes more of a difference than anything when driven by passion. 

In closing, I’d like to quote Phil Smart, a known “professional” community activist. These are words to which I subscribe and embrace: “I’m not everyone, but I am someone. I can’t do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.”  

Thank you.