“Hi Akira. What is this for?” I asked.

As Akira slowly unclenched her first and held out her palm, which was stacked with staples, I froze with uncertainty. I had a sneaking suspicion of what they meant and the message Akira was  trying to send, but did not jump to conclusions just yet.

From day one, Akira had been an obstinate, headstrong, an attention-hungry girl constantly faking sickness  and needing undivided “special” attention from adults.

Without a say, she gestured for me to put the staples in my mouth. Her request seemed earnest, half-mournful, half-accusing her piercing eyes told me the message:

Few days prior to her “gift” of staples, I firmly yet nicely told her to stay back while I go accompany another girl to the nurse. Akira begged and pleaded and finally stomping and pouting followed the other child and me to the nurse. I suspected that her anger had been building ever since.

I asked again, “Why are you giving me staples?”

Almost whispering, Akira mumbled but I caught the words “get hurt.”

At first, I was somewhat appalled and shocked, but I mulled over her words for a brief second or two. I wanted to search for the right words to make her understand her own actions. However small my presence, I wanted to make sure that I was a positive influence to each individual little being.

Determined to make the most of my role in my job, to not let my outrage and anger get the better of me, I chose my words carefully. I said, “I have to be fair to all of you girls. So when I’m telling you not to do something, I’m asking you to help me. We need to become a good team. You need to help me help all the girls.”

Having only the best intentions in mind when I volunteered at Excel for the first few weeks of summer, I wanted to be of some help, as much as I could be, to the kids, to the teachers, and also to the wider DC community. Since there were not more than a few years separating me and the girls, I was hoping that the girls would come to regard me as a role model, but also as a fun, reliable sister figure. It was definitely a very ambitious goal. Though I knew that personal bonds do not form overnight, I was determined to get as closely to the goal as I could.

Near the end of my service Akira warmed up to me and although I learned that it is difficult to satisfy everyone all the time, my actions with the utmost sincerity and integrity, would help me translate my intentions across misunderstandings and transcend beyond any other barriers.

I was happy to have my attention completely focused on the girls and their needs and it made the exhaustion I felt by the end of each day completely worth it. I learned that trying my best in any situation despite challenges is the best thing to do because it makes the experience meaningful and brings good results. Though I had not become as close to Akira as I wanted to, the results came close and I was also compensated with getting to know the other girls in a more genuine level.

In my near future, I want to make positive changes in the society by working closely with a diversity of people and helping them by acting in their best interests. I believe that making small changes and helping one individual at a time, is crucial and better than focusing on “the greater good” and being caught up with making the grander “right” choice, which can lead to leaving out some individuals. Society is one of the biggest factors in shaping individuals and their perception of everything in life. As powerful as any society can be to individuals, individuals who constitute society have more power to create breakthroughs by influencing other individuals. I know that taking the initiative to do so is what I want to do and this responsibility is in my future.