As an incoming Senior, I am still exploring a variety of colleges. I hope to pursue a career in Radiology, with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in Writing. With a long history in community service, I hope my career will also give me an opportunity to help others locally. Making a difference is key to my success.
“Hell is here.” Three words that I will remember forever. Words that described the hell of a world in which my grandmother’s Ukrainian friends were living. The pinging of messages, forwarded by my grandmother to my mother, as we sat listening to what sounded like something out of a dystopian novel. A family of six: mother, father, two daughters and their grandparents, witnessing the brutality of war. After hearing of the war, I asked to speak with the daughters through Instagram. Living in a battle zone, they shared the horrors of their new life. The constant air raids ringing through the city they once found safe. The dim black rooms they were living in each day, working by candlelight in hopes of not drawing attention to enemies in the sky. Every day, footage was sent to my family that the media never released. Ukraine was fighting for their homeland, and these newfound friends were living in the middle of a warzone.
Three months of contact; conversations continued when news of the war took a turn. The brutality never changed as people continued to lose their lives. Yet, when their father was drafted to the frontlines, our connection was like no other, as we witnessed a family losing their father. My heart broke as it all began to unfold. We saw images of the troop before they deployed, and were shocked to learn of the circumstances in which these soldiers were placed. They wore everyday attire while holding recommissioned guns on open battle fields. They ran uneven terrain with sandals and torn sneakers, feet waterlogged white from continuous rainfall. As I spoke with my family we devised a plan to help, and set it in action. We started by putting “boots on the ground”.
Thinking globally was easy, but acting locally was quite difficult. Numerous attempts to collect donations were turned down and we began to feel that all odds were against us. My grandmother, the wife of a retired veteran, proposed we look for outdated military gear at the local base. Over the course of the next few months, with help from numerous contacts within the community, we obtained military grade winter boots and basic military attire for the entire troop. It was graciously received and distributed mere weeks before the winter months hit.
With this task successfully accomplished, I felt empowered and refocused on another challenge; one I could tackle locally. Working as a Student Engagement Coordinator, I proposed an event to raise awareness for Ukraine. With approval, I planned and executed an event that gave students the ability to make personalized cards for Ukrainian soldiers. The remaining cards were distributed to my siblings’ schools, giving their classmates an opportunity to participate. I was overwhelmed from the kindness of my local community when we collected and sent over 200 cards overseas. The goal of spreading hope was underway, and eventually brought an expression of support and happiness from soldiers recovering in hospitals.
With as much sadness this war has brought, I look at the people of Ukraine still standing. I remember reading a quote that read, “sometimes you will never see the fruits of your labors, but they are there, deep inside of the soul of the one you touched”. I like to think of my family’s contribution as the seeds of hope planted for future generations to expand upon. These connections with people locally and across the globe are vital, as they are what lead to bigger and broader opportunities in our shared future.