Scholarship Essay by Etzer Lindor
“And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do
for your country.” – President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
John F. Kennedy’s inaugural quote serves as a reminder that we must not focus solely on our
own interests, but also on how we can benefit the lives of others. Our world functions best when
it operates interdependently. So, it is in our collective interest to provide a helping hand to one
another, because as a society, we cannot thrive without each other.
Since the beginning of my freshman year, I have been blessed to be involved in SkillsUSA, a
student-led organization that promotes leadership and service among its members. As president
of my chapter and head of the leadership committee, I have had the privilege of working
alongside my local Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army chapters to raise over $2,500 for
our community, as well as donating 15 bicycles to children living in Habitat homes. I’ve also had
the unique opportunity to become affiliated with the Be Like Brit Foundation, an organization
committed to providing food and education to the children of my home country of Haiti.
The work I do in my community is meaningful to me because it allows me to step outside of my
own world and become an agent of change in someone else’s. Although my journey as a high
school student will soon come to a close, my devotion to my community persists, because it is
only by continuing to ask what I can do for others that I can truly fulfill my promise to make a
positive difference in this world.
Etzer Lindor
March 31, 2022