Fall, to many people, is the perfect season, a time for pumpkin spice lattes, maple leaf decorations, and warm-lit autumn candles. For me, it is looking forward to the local elementary school’s fall festival. I am proud to make a difference in my community by volunteering at this celebration, as I have made the best memories, sharing them with my fellow friends and young students. Seeing the young students grin brightly at the sight of games, rewards, and fun activities is what drives me to make the effort to volunteer.

At my first festival, I helped set up the tents and Diwali table. I decorated the table with miniature light-up candles, Diwali coloring pages, and Diwali children’s books. It was a very memorable experience to read the Diwali books aloud and interact with each child who came across the table. At my second festival, I took part as a fortune teller until I switched booths to help as a ‘ball boy’ for the Beer Pong table. There, children had to successfully bounce at least one of the three golf balls into the cups to win an LED light stick!

Through this annual event, I can directly connect with people of all ages in my community; I get to encourage the young children to win exciting games by saying, “You got this! Good job” and “Nice try!” I can engage and personally connect with them as I hand out the various prizes they worked hard to earn, such as vibrant LED light sticks. Witnessing the children’s persistence and dedication to winning the games inspires me, as it felt rewarding to hand out their prizes after their valiant efforts. Not only are they rewarded for their hard work, but I am also rewarded because I feel inspired and honored to be a part of their effort to succeed.

From my experiences volunteering at the elementary school, I feel that I have made an impact and a difference in my community. Along with my fellow high school volunteers, I fulfill the need for help at the elementary school to make events such as the fall festival possible. From setting up tables and tents to decorating with Diwali books and coloring pages and hanging up fall decorations, I am part of the magic that goes into making this event the best fall festival ever! Furthermore, I can interact with all members of the local community who rally together to join the event, whether that be the volunteers, adult supervisors, parents, or children. Being able to connect with the young children and cheer them on is how I have positively impacted my community. I hope that I can continue to contribute to the best fall festival ever by making a positive impact on everyone in my community.