My life is wonderful. I'm thriving in college with great friends and family; my prospects are positive. I feel I am privileged, and this I attribute to the support I received throughout my life, starting in my childhood. I would not be in the position I am in now without having had the love and encouragement of not just my parents, but helpful and admirable figures in general to whom I could look up to. I realize the importance of having a support system in one's youth, and it is for that reason I desire to join the City Year corps.

I believe in the importance of having someone to depend on and offer guidance in one's youth. My mother was always around when I was a child to help me with homework and volunteer in and out of my classes. Her dedication to my education illustrated how important school was; thus, I always worked hard and did the best I could in and out of school. My grades helped me gain admittance into the college I most wanted to attend, one gateway to the future I desired.

Once I started college, I met a multitude of people - students, graduates and faculty - who showed me the importance of programs such as City Year. During a day of campus presentations from not-for-profit groups, two AmeriCorps volunteers explained the mission of the organization and the need for members. Nationwide research shows a young person who meets with a mentor on a regular basis is 52 percent less likely to skip school, 27 percent less likely to begin drinking alcohol, and 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs. I am willing to spend the time with a child if it meant reducing the chances he or she would develop negative behaviors that could impede the path to one's hopes.

As a member of the City Year corps, I would hope to bear the same influence on youth as that on me when I was young. I want to provide the assistance to motivate children to be successful and happy. Youth need someone to stand beside them; there's little drive to succeed if no one is there for encouragement and sharing in the experience.

I hope I could be someone a child could credit for having helped reach his or her goals. Even if all of my efforts are not directly recognized, I would be happy just to have made a noticeable and constructive difference in the lives of those around me.

There is plenty of time in my life that I could spend mentoring children and youth before I start the career I studied in college. There is nothing I would rather do after I graduate than join the City Year corps and impact those who may be most in need what I have to offer.