Service (noun): the action of helping or doing work for someone

Community service is any voluntary, unpaid time a student spends with the
intention of benefiting the larger community. At DCIS, we are required to complete at
least 40 hours over the course of our four years. Each act of service we complete
connects to the GPS domains: Investigate the World, Recognizing Perspectives,
Communicating Ideas, and Take Action. Take Action is the focal point of our service
because we are putting our ideas into action to work toward a solution to an issue,
situation, or event. Each of the GPS domains is a piece of gaining a deeper global
understanding. I chose to volunteer at Joshua Station, a transitional housing facility for
formerly homeless families. My mom has been a family advocate at Joshua Station for
14 years. It is important for me to give back to communities I have consistently been a
part of. Most of the community service I completed was through working at events for
Mile High Ministries/Joshua Station. I planned activities for Building Bridges Colorado
while I was a participant.
Community service has given me a deeper understanding of my local homeless
community and the resources available to them. I was able to recognize perspectives by
explaining the perspectives of others and explain how those perspectives influence
human interactions. The larger community has benefit because I helped raise money for
Joshua Station and the families living there. I also helped represent Building Bridges
and their values at Cherry Creek Diversity Conference. I was investigating the world by
exploring issues among homeless and minority populations to improve myself and
understand why these issues are significant. I communicate ideas by applying
appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills when necessary.
School service has given me more insight into my school environment. I learned
more about the lives of teachers and what it takes to run classrooms and plan events. I
was able to Take Action by identifying collaborators (teachers, clubs, and peers) to
create opportunities for action and act to contribute to improvement in my school. My
school has benefited from my service because even though I have done a lot of small
things over the years it helped classrooms and events run more smoothly.
Special Events are community events that students attend to expand their
cultural literacy and stay active in our communities whether that is on a local, regional,
or global scale. Ive attended events like goddess gatherings, Martin Luther King Day
Marades, and school events after school. Special events can connect to all four of the
GPS domains since we can choose any event to go to.

Community service, school service and special events are an essential part of
my high school experience and through my participation I have made strides to improve
my collaborative skills, adaptability, and communication skills. These hands-on
experiences have refined my personality and increase my confidence as a leader and
impacted my choices as an individual. Academically speaking, I learned both hard and
soft skills that I can use in the future. Personally, I made long lasting connections with
the people Ive worked with and each of them adds something new to my life. Although
these were required, I enjoyed my service and it has made me a more socially
conscious individual.