My name is Jacqueline Martinez, and I am the Student Association (SA) president at Wisconsin Academy and a four-year senior. Ever since my freshman year, I knew I wanted to be SA president my senior year. At the time, the SA officers were excellent role models and I desired to follow in their footsteps.
When the 2006–2007 SA officers were elected last year, we decided that this school year we would have a different approach than in past years. We wanted this school year and ourselves to be dedicated to helping others by doing community service.
We have hosted a Run/Walk for Breast Cancer, which raised more than $1,000 for breast cancer research; two blood drives where an accumulated 60 pints of blood were collected, which averages out to 180 lives that were affected by our donations; and a Christmas banquet for the families who live at the Salvation Army, and we rang bells for the Salvation Army.
Many people ask why we took this different approach, since normally SA is known for hosting the regular school activities such as banquets, spring and fall picnics, class scramble, etc. Although those are all wonderful activities, we wanted to help our fellow students glimpse the big picture.
In recent years, I have changed my mind many times concerning the career choice I will make when I graduate. Ideas have ranged from neurosurgeon, astrophysicist, to a lawyer; but is wasn't until this year that nonprofit work became an interest. After working with people less fortunate than me, who search for someone to reach out, I have decided that some day I will open my own nonprofit organization, directed at helping children throughout the world. In the meantime, I plan to earn a double major in Public Communication/Intercultural Communication and Business in order to acquire skills needed for my long-term goal. It may seem a little far-fetched, but with God's help and hard work I believe it can be done.
Most of the time, we get so wrapped up in our own lives and in the monotony of it all that we lose focus of our purpose. I, for one, have decided that I have it made—a wonderful family, friends, a home, food, and education. There are many people out there who have so much less then me. This is why I have decided to dedicate my life to helping others. I used to define success as going to the best school, getting the best education, getting the best job, and marrying the best man, but now my views have changed. Success is measured by the change and effect you have on another person's life.
This was the reason SA officers chose to begin a new tradition at Wisconsin Academy. We wanted to show there are bigger and more important things out there than ourselves. It's our duty as members of society and Christians to help others and be willing to fight for what we all deserve—life.
Jacqueline Martinez is a senior at Wisconsin Academy. She plans to attend Columbia Union College in the fall.
