Project Title: Girls on the Run Franklin County

Service Site Name: Clinton Elementary School

Describe your involvement with this organization

I have been volunteering at this organization since last fall. When I was rushing for my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, their philanthropy stood out to me. After officially joining the sorority, I knew I had to get more involved with their philanthropy because the cause is something I hold very close to me. The concept of Building Strong Girls is a universal idea that all girls deserve to experience. No girl deserves to feel left out, ashamed of who they are, or resort to unhealthy habits just because of the people they were around when they were younger. At a young age, girls these days are already told what they are supposed to look like, dress like, etc. The organization Girls on the Run teaches girls what it means to stand out from the crowd (in a positive way). Through a variety of workshops, positive self-esteem and healthy lifestyles are taught by being incorporated into running activities. At the end of each season, each Running Buddy volunteer (what I am) runs a 5K with one of the girls.

Describe what you gained as a result of this experience.

I have gained a huge amount of love for this philanthropy as a result of this experience. At the end of last season, I ran with a girl named let’s just say Emily in the 5K. I could tell Emily felt a little insecure during our practices and was trying really hard to fit in with the other girls. However, she still had a wonderful attitude at the beginning of each meeting and she was very pleased with herself when she finished her 5K. She never thought she could do it because of her asthma or her bad ankle. I could tell she felt better about herself when she finished the race and seeing her growth was an extremely rewarding experience for me. This season, I am still volunteering at the same site, but there are some new girls. The topics we have talked about have always gotten pretty heavy and a lot of girls have opened up about things that have been really bothering them. It makes me feel honored that they trust us and I love having a direct role in being their mental and physical support.

Describe positive changes to the community as a result of your service experience.

The girls at the elementary school are always really excited now to go to Girls on the Run practice. I think it makes them feel happy to be a part of a team with other girls who are struggling with issues along similar lines. The girls always make each other smile and it is a lot of positive energy going around. For example, the program does something called Energy Award Winner. This award is given to a different girl at the end of each practice and we make sure that eventually every girl gets to be it. The girls go around nominating each other and explaining why they are nominating said person (ex. for pacing themselves when running). It is really cute to listen to what the girls have to say about each other and it fosters an environment where girls feel they can be honest and open with each other.

Describe a person with whom you interacted that made a strong impression on you, positive or negative.

Every girl who has come up to me asking for a piggy back ride, to sit in my lap, or to run with me has made a positive impression on me. It makes me happy to see that these girls look up to me, especially when college has been so busy and difficult. I rarely get the chance to think about why I should be proud to be who I am otherwise. Going to GOTR is not only a positive experience for them, but also for me. I hope that these girls remember why they are so unique and really build up their confidence from this program. They have definitely helped me with that, whether they realize it or not.

Because of this service experience, I am a better mentor, friend, sister, and running buddy, as well as, prepared to stay involved with Building Strong Girls for the rest of my life.

Informational interview with Ryan Humphreys:

1. Why did you select this individual to interview?

Ryan is a dental student. He is about to start school at Ohio State College of Dentistry in Fall of 2016. He was on the e-board for a dental club with me and we went on a trip to the Dominican Republic together over winter break. He went through the dental school application process very successfully and was able to give me advice on what to do and what not to do during the process since I will be applying in a couple of years.

2. Describe the major responsibilities associated with their current role.

Currently, Ryan is still in undergraduate. However, when he starts dental school, he will have a lot of responsibilities with his schoolwork the first two years since OSU dental school classes are all pass/fail. During his third and fourth year, he will be doing more clinicals and get to work with patients.

3. Discuss how the person prepared for this role, and if they provided you with any advice as what you might be able to do to prepare for a similar career.

Ryan studied really hard during his undergraduate years, was very responsible with managing deadlines for the AADSAS (online dental school application), prepared well for interviews, and did well on his DAT (dental admissions test). Because of his responsible choices, he was able to interview at and choose between quite a few dental schools in the U.S.

4. Summarize any insights from the interview that might be helpful in your academic or career preparation.

Ryan told me very specifically how he studied for each section of the DAT, when to open the AADSAS application, how to write a convincing personal statement, how to approach professors for letters of recommendation, very typical interview questions to prepare for, and many other things. I took notes on all of this and it was all extremely helpful. I feel a little bit better about the whole process after interviewing him.

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