Personal Essay

By Kaylee Paredes

2025 Anne MacKay Scholarship winner Kaylee Paredes of Mattituck High School.

I have always tried to be involved in working in my community for the betterment of others. My favorite ways to serve and work in my community have been doing so through my school. I joined SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) at first because my friend encouraged me to join her. To be honest, I was unsure how much I would enjoy it. I was curious what we would do in SADD and how much my participation would matter. I quickly realized being a part of SADD would allow me to make a real difference in the lives of some younger students in my district. Through SADD, I have educated my peers and younger students about mental health and drug use awareness. Both of these can be taboo subjects that people don’t love to talk openly about, but they are both so important. I presented as a Spanish translator about mental health and healthy relationships. Being a translator was an important experience for me because I have seen some of my own family members struggle to communicate due to a lack of English. My uncles attended my high school years ago and they struggled with the language barrier. I remember my uncle telling me there were days he did not use the restroom when he needed to because he was unsure how to ask in English. This was so isolating to him. So, I used my bilingual skills during the mental health and healthy relationships presentations to ensure that my Spanish speaking peers were also included in this onversation, so they as well could understand and be educated on the topic. This promoted inclusion. It felt great to know that everyone, regardless of their native language, was receiving the valuable lessons about mental health and healthy relationships.

I have also translated at my job. I work at the Mattituck-Laurel Veterinary Hospital. There have been many times I have had to translate for a pet owner worried about their pet, but unable to understand the doctors due to a lack of fluency in English. In these moments, I have been able to bridge the communication gap and it has been a wonderful thing. The cleaning crew that comes to the office at the end of the day are also all Spanish speaking. I often have to communicate instructions to them for my bosses so that they can understand the office’s needs. In this way, I am creating a channel of communication through which everyone can understand one another.
I also presented to elementary students about the importance of mental health and the dangers of bullying/being a bystander. These lessons are very important ones to learn at the elementary school level so that the kids can go on to proactively combat bullying and be mental health advocates in the future. These presentations impacted me greatly. Following the elementary presentations, a young girl disclosed that she was being bullied. I was surprised and so glad that she trusted me in the moment to share something so personal. Our presentation had made an impact on her. I was able to speak with her and I truly felt we made a heartfelt connection and that I made a difference.

I have also fundraised and assisted with many different local organizations that benefit great causes. During the holidays, I volunteered at the Mattituck-Laurel library at a youth program. The goal of the program was for children to connect over a holiday themed activity. I enjoy working with children and seeing them smile. I love supporting library programs because they are healthy outlets for kids to socialize and feel safe. At the library, everyone is always welcome and included. Another chance I had to make

an impact on kids was during my Mattituck High School senior day of service. I spent the day in my elementary school and helped facilitate lessons and supported students. While I was there, I worked with a young boy who was struggling with a math adding game. I could see him getting frustrated and embarrassed because he did not know how to answer like his peers. He felt excluded. I sat with him and we worked together and I could see his confidence growing. Connecting with him and the rest of the elementary kids made me realize how important it is to take time to listen and help people younger than myself. It takes very little to impact a child and I have learned that through the community service I have done.

Through service, I have always aimed to make people feel included and valued. I plan to continue to do this during my time at college by joining community service-based organizations. Helping others always feels good and I know it makes a difference in the lives of the people around me.