A Summer of Growth and Service by Cecilia

A Summer of Growth and Service by Cecilia - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Over the summer, I took part in a variety of activities, ranging from dual enrollment coursework to Smithsonian-related projects. And, while I can talk about how important all my activities have been to me, there was one summer activity that was outside of my comfort zone and needed a lot of involvement from me. That activity was Study Abroad; at first, I had no intention of taking part since I was too terrified to commit to the part, and it appeared out of reach. After being convinced by one of my teachers, I applied and was admitted! I was quite anxious about flying to another state alone for the first time, but I was most concerned about homesickness. When the day finally arrived, I was ready to leave at 7 a.m., even though I felt bad about leaving my mother, I headed to Pittsburgh. To understand the similarities and differences between Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, we were required to conduct research on both cities prior to our trip. I devoted all my pre-trip time to learning about Pittsburgh and the environmental problems that the city was dealing with, such as the contaminated air quality. While we were there, we learned about their environment and gentrification problems, and our goal was to help give their neighborhoods a pleasant place to breathe life with their gardens. My interactions with the neighbors gave me a better understanding of the environmental problems they were dealing with, so when it came time to work hands-on in their community gardens, I gave it my all. The gardens hold great significance for the locals, who use them as a place to breathe in the surrounding trees and plants. I recall the day when a neighbor expressed his gratitude to us profusely because he never imagined seeing the garden cleaned up again. Every "thank you" I got made me feel better about applying to this program. My involvement continued even after the trip was over. I created a power point slide to teach people and students about my experiences at Pittsburgh and to help them understand that caring for the environment does not require you to be an adult or have a lot of power in your community. Caring for the environment can be as simple as planting a seed in a garden because one day that plant will provide food for a family or allow someone to breathe clean air. This moment has led to a new strength in myself that I am truly glad I have discovered. This new strength has been able to influence my growth with my involvement in Environmental sustainability and give me the strength to act on my observations and share it with others.