Sustaining Service: Finding Power in the 'Everyday'
Posted on: November 7, 2014Florida
I think the Health Corps, admittedly or not, recruits thrill-seekers. We want the big problems, the big responsibilities, the big solutions. Personally, I’ve wanted to close the achievement gap in Duval County, Florida, and then in the U.S., only taking a break to end the epidemic of childhood obesity as a nutrition and physical activity educator with the Health Corps.
Obviously none of those things are going to happen in a year, or two, or three. But I think there is power in identifying the end goal- no matter how daunting- in igniting the flame that is the call to service. With this end goal in mind, we find our reasons to wake up every day. These reasons fuel the flame of service and keep feelings of inadequacy and defeat at bay.
I wake up every day to leverage my personal battle with childhood obesity to help young people who are in the midst of battles of their own, choosing education as my weapon. Having taught in this community for the past two years, I know how important it is for students to have access to educational experiences that might not prepare them for a state test, but which develop the child’s understanding of the world. In today’s world, health is a subject that needs to take precedence, especially for those children whose environment encourages poor uninformed health behaviors. I wake up for the kids who buy their breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner from conveniences stores and who don’t know better, for the kids whose sinking school grade will never allow time for lessons on nutrition and health, and for the kids who don’t get the recommended amount of daily exercise because their schools got rid of recess and PE and their neighborhoods are unsafe. I wake up every day to deliver the lessons I learned from doctors and nutritionists to those who might never get those lessons because of unfair circumstances.
As Health Corps members, we should strive to situate our ‘everydays’ within the context of the big problems we seek to solve. The perfect balance will sustain not just this year, but a life of authentic and meaningful service.
This post was written by NFHC member Kylie Repasy.
I think the Health Corps, admittedly or not, recruits thrill-seekers. We want the big problems, the big responsibilities, the big solutions. Personally, I’ve wanted to close the achievement gap in Duval County, Florida, and then in the U.S., only taking a break to end the epidemic of childhood obesity as a nutrition and physical activity educator with the Health Corps.
