by Samantha Johnson
Most Valuable Student Scholar
Most Valuable Student Scholar
My name is Samantha and I
am from Annawan, Illinois. I was a 2017 Top 20 Most Valuable Student Finalist and
I will be starting school at Loyola University Chicago in the fall. I plan to
major in Biology on a pre-health track.
Sam Politano (Left) and I (Right). |
However, they weren't
strangers for long. By the time we were ready for bed that night, we had become
friends who had more in common than we could've imagined. We all fit together
wonderfully, and throughout the week the relationships continued to build off
of the foundations that were established right away. We learned from each
other's experiences and we shared our thoughts and feelings. We had meaningful
conversations and we also joked around and had sing-a-longs on the bus. We
shared and we listened. We laughed and we cried. We didn't hesitate to hug or
hold hands or high five. We supported each other and encouraged each other. In
a matter of about 538,000 seconds, we became a family.
Equally as rewarding as the
meaningful conversations and meeting my new family was the service I got to
participate in alongside my fellow scholars. We served at various Chicago
organizations and my eyes were opened to a side of Chicago I had been fairly
blind to.
I've been to Chicago on
multiple occasions, but I've never taken the time to put myself in parts of the
city that are not as privileged. Being able to serve people who are struggling
was both humbling and eye opening. It erased the prejudices I had formed in my
mind regarding people experiencing homelessness and I became acutely aware of
just how big of a problem homelessness is.
From the new friendships
formed to the service performed, my heart was full and I was changed. I became
even more inspired to stay involved with the Elks National Foundation and to
meet more members of my Elks family. I came home with new friends and a
reinvigorated desire to serve the people around me.
It's amazing what can
happen in 538,000 seconds, and it's hard to imagine without partaking in the
experience. I would highly recommend participating in an Elks Scholar Service
Trip and connecting with your fellow Elks scholars. I know I will definitely be
participating in another Service Trip and I look forward to meeting more Elks
scholars on my campus and in the surrounding community. There truly is no bond
like that shared by members of the #ElksFamily.
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