From the time I was little, I always remember wanting to help others. I am not sure if it came from my Irish Catholic upbringing or the role models I had in my parents and grandparents. It could also be an innate quality, but I will always want to help others. I believe that public service is the ultimate way to accomplish this goal and that government should be designed to help those in need. I have come to this conclusion gradually over time, pulling from my experiences along the way.
Every year of my life I have traveled to Ireland. Ireland for some is a land of green fields, sheep, and perpetual rain. To me Ireland is much different; it is a land of mystery with its landscape littered with the ruins of lost civilizations. As a child I explored these ruins wondering what life was like for the people who lived there. It inspired my love of history and my belief that those who know the past can predict the future.
I went to Mount Alvernia Academy for elementary school. Mount Alvernia is a Franciscan Catholic school in Newton with its beliefs summed up in its mission statement. The mission statement was recited by the students at the end of every school day and goes as follows; “God made me to live not just for myself but to share my gifts with others. I will follow in the footsteps of Jesus, St. Francis, and St. Claire to make the world a better place.” Regardless of its religious views, the mission statement encourages us to follow the examples set forth by good people who tried to make the world a better place by helping those in need. I took the mission statement to heart and embraced the lessons Mount Alvernia taught. They helped strengthen my resolve to help others which remains with me to this day.
Since arriving at Boston Latin School, I have completed hundreds of hours of volunteer work. I have done everything from tutoring struggling students in math and Latin to working for the PSF community center in Brighton. Despite all of these wonderful experiences, I always felt I could be doing something more. This desire to do more merged with my passion for history and sparked my interest in public service. From history I learned that government was intended for the people hence the term republic (res publica matters of the people). I began to take in interest in how government worked and how it helps the people the government represent. Throughout the Ward Fellowship I hope to pursue my interest in helping others through government.