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Anya Ibasco
Mrs. Perez
Service Reflection Paper
30 March 2020

As a child, I would love to visit my mother at work. Being an occupational therapist, her

work environment was filled with toys, swings, and even a ball pit. Although I was not allowed

to play with such things, she would explain how she used them to teach and empower children

with disabilities. More importantly, she would tell me about the strong, determined, and willful

children who she worked with every day. When I heard about RAD (Rising Above Disabilities)

Camp, I was incredibly eager to volunteer in order to serve these people, just like my mother.

RAD Camp is an amazing community that provides those with disabilities a safe

environment to express themselves, empower one another, and ultimately create memorable

experiences. My first camper was a strong-willed and independent 16-year-old girl named Isa

who had autism and down syndrome. I was her sole caretaker, being responsible for her every

need, such as bathing, feeding, and giving her medicine.

Like any teenage girl, Isa desired independence and hated whenever I tried to help her.

Despite my efforts to respect her wishes, keep her safe, and make sure she enjoyed herself, Isa

despised me. She would yell, kick, and run from me every time I asked that she brush her teeth

or eat a meal. However, I knew that I had to turn this experience around, not for myself, but for

Isa. I remember laying in bed asking God for strength to get me through the rest of the week. As

I learned to express only kindness, patience, and understanding, our relationship gradually

improved. On our third day together, Isa and I discovered something that would turn that hatred

into love: music. With every direction she needed to follow, I played a song that we could both
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jam out too and soon enough our showers turned into shower parties and our meals became

sing-a-longs. We bonded over our love of music and throughout the camp, we became known as

the dancing duo. At the end of the week, tears rolled down Isa’s face as she gave me the biggest

hug and said that she never wanted to leave.

Although I helped Isa with her basic needs during camp, she truly helped me to discover

valuable lessons that will resonate with me for life. Her independence and strong personality

showed me that no matter what challenges I face, confidence and determination will guide me to

success. She also helped me to realize that despite our differences, whether physical appearance

or cognitive abilities, every individual has inner strengths that can be used to benefit the

community. Most importantly, my experiences at RAD Camp have taught me to be inclusive of

everyone while continuing to appreciate diversity. If this movement of acceptance and

empowerment is magnified throughout the world, people of all races, genders, beliefs, and walks

of life can come together to achieve great things.

Since the summer, I have volunteered at two camps and totaled over 100 hours of service.

With each of my campers, we’ve created memories filled with love, happiness, and joy that I

wouldn’t trade for anything. I look forward to the next camp and many more fulfilling

experiences in the years to come.