Jessica Schwartz, Westhill High School in Stamford

[Note: This is not the article where you should vote for this contestant. This is essayist No. 1, so in the voting article, which is here, just post a comment that says ‘1' to vote for this student. Voting is limited to one person per finalist per day, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on May 18. The finalist essay follows.] 

The cold Vermont morning air pierces the layers of clothing I wear. As I glide across the fresh snow, I see the sun rising above the summit. Before me, my students for the day, mentally and physically challenged youth, wait eagerly, bundled up and ready to ski. I am excited to share my love for the mountain and this sport with them. Whether or not we make it beyond the “bunny slope,” I know it’s going to be another rewarding day on the hill.

Skiing has been a central part of my family’s life for as long as I can remember. An avid fan of this winter sport, I was thrilled to join the Ability Plus team and help challenged kids discover a love for outdoor winter sports. Our goal is not to lead our students down challenging terrain or ensure that they can parallel ski, but to help them find a place in the outdoor ski community, to develop confidence and self-reliance and experience the joy that we do flying down the open trails. 

My interest in helping mentally or physically challenged children can be traced to my relationship with my own uncle, Paul, who suffered from a lack of oxygen at birth. His IQ is 69 and he lives in an assisted community for adults with special needs. Although Paul is able to make his own frozen meals, shower, and take the bus to work as a bagger at the local supermarket, he cannot grasp concepts of time or money. My earliest memories of my uncle are of his enthusiastically extending himself to strangers, efforts often met with rejection. Paul longs for friendship and connection and his desire to belong and fit in has definitely inspired my own outreach projects. 

Working with Friendship Circle, I now serve as a “buddy” to a local elementary school student who cannot talk or feed herself, but can smile broadly.  Each week, we meet and spend time together, laughing and building our friendship. My buddy recognizes me, holds my hand, and I have learned what foods, TV shows, and books she loves most. I see in her a young Paul, excited by the world and eager to connect.

Community service has been an important element in my own quest to understand my role in the larger world. From my uncle’s isolation and desire to belong, I have recognized the need to embrace people who may be marginalized and who long for companionship. Through Friendship Circle and Ability Plus, I have found avenues to reach children who lack inroads in our communities and help them to become integrated and enjoy camaraderie and connection. 

I have realized that for me, the aim of community outreach is to ensure that all children experience the joy and benefits of friendship and inclusion. If I can be that bridge, I enjoy a great sense of accomplishment. It’s simply a win-win situation, one in which I participate in the “good,” and consequently, feel good about myself.  

[Note: This is not the article where you should vote for this contestant. This is essayist No. 1, so in the voting article, which is here, just post a comment that says ‘1' to vote for this student. Voting is limited to one person per finalist per day, and closes at 11:59 p.m. on May 18.]