Encouraging voices ring in my ears as I recollect freshman year.  Teachers and faculty members welcomed us, and we listened to their oratories about the new journey of high school life that we were embarking upon.  There were countless occasions in which various adults of Harwich High reminded us of the endless opportunities that brightened our path, and of the success that would be ours if we made the right choices as young men and women.  Packaged with these inspirational words was the clincher where the guidance counselor, or the health teacher, or the principal would tell us to "get involved".  They encouraged us to become involved in both community service and extracurricular activities.  We were told that participating in such events would impress the colleges and universities that we would later apply to.  However, from a personal standpoint, I can admit that community service is much more valuable than impressing the Dean of Admissions, in that it increases your knowledge of various fields, improves people skills, and prepares you for life after high school.
                As a freshmen I quickly became involved with the community by volunteering at the Visiting Nurses Association of Cape Cod.  Although I merely performed simple tasks such as filing patient information, and addressing envelops, I learned a great deal about the service that the VNA provides.  In the area where I worked, people who were unable to afford certain medical needs could call and find out if they qualified for a program that would finance any appointments or procedures that they required.  Working with the VNA provided me with knowledge of public services, and I was also able to meet interesting people along the way.
             Meeting different people is the most wonderful aspect of community service.  I will never forget my experience volunteering at the 1999 Special Olympics.  Physically disabled and mentally challenged people of all ages are allowed to participate in the annual Special Olympics, but many volunteers are counted on to keep the program running.  At an orientation that took place the day before the games, I had the pleasure of meeting my friend Sean.  I was standing by myself feeling rather uncomfortable and lonely among all the strangers when a man with soft brown eyes and chocolate skin approached me.  He walked with a limp, and I noticed that his left arm was only a short stub ending at the elbow.  Without saying hello he started showing me a photo album.  He would point to a person in one of the photos and say, " Do you know Maria.  I know Maria.  She's my friend.  We go bowling.  Are you gonna go bowling with us?"
             After going through the entire photo album, and having seen pictures of Joe, Maurice, and Cindy, Sean expressed his excitement for the games.  He was going to participate in the softball throw, and he said, "I'm going to throw it the farthest.  I'm going to throw it farther than all of them 'cause I've got big muscles."  Sean then rolled up his sleeve and flexed his right bicep.  The next day my new friend ended up winning the softball throw just as he said he would.  He was a sweet man, and it was comforting to talk to him in a place where I did not know many people.
             Before leaving the High School haven, it is important to gain as much knowledge as possible and to meet new people in order to prepare oneself for the "bigness" of the world.  Acting locally is important for the both the future of the community and the future of the individual. Living in a small town, guarantees that the world will seem much larger once students enter the post-high school life, so it is important to have experiences that prepare you for the world.
             As freshmen we were encouraged to get involved, and those who did have most likely had valuable experiences.  The teachers and guidance counselors who lectured us continuously, telling us that community service and extracurricular activities are key, have proven themselves to be sagacious characters.  Experiences in community service have helped me learn about different fields, new people, and I have also discovered more about myself.  I believe that it is necessary for young people to try to discover who they are by involving themselves in whatever they can, and taking advantage of opportunities.  The world is a big place, and we are meant to experience it, so why not begin within the community?