A Second Generation NOLA'an

Being part of the NOLA service learning group has been a goal of mine for a few years now. This inspiration is all due to my older brother, Jared, who had been part of this program. To me, NOLA had always been an exclusive team of the best of the best, something I could only dream of being part of. I had always looked upon the members of the group as if they were gods, even the ones I did not know. However,  as I became involved in the service learning program last year, I began to realise that this is not what the group is about. Community service is not a spectacular achievement that requires praise, however it is a duty we have as citizens.  We do not do what we do to impress others, or to make ourselves look better, but we do what we do because we like to do it. While I have never been on the NOLA trip itself, I am certain of one thing. That thing is that I will not be the same person after the trip. As Mr. Kane often says, we do not help people, however we work with people to accomplish a common goal. From both my own experience and the experience of my brother, i know that service learning really allows you to discover a lot about people, and who people really are. It allows you to discover who you are as a person, in a way that cannot be taught through a book. It allows you to experience life by living it. It is an experience unlike any other that our school has to offer.  My brother Jared had always been annoying and weird my whole life.  He was well liked by most of his peers, however had never really fit in in a certain group or sport. He found the service learning group when he reached highschool, and he still didnt really fit in, but he was accepted into the group. This group is not full of certain people, in fact, it is very diverse. We are only connected through our common bond of wanting to give back. Jared grew from this group, and from the lessons it taught. As the years passed, this group matured jared (as much as anything could) and got him to a point where he made the decision to join the United States Marine Corps. Had it not been for NOLA, i dont know where jared would be. I dont know where i would be. This group, without me even being a part of it, has affected my life quite significantly.  This group builds our school, our community, and (dramatically) our world into a better place, and we help to make a difference in our future by what we learn today. I think I have talked a little too much.
~Kevin Lundstrom, second generation NOLA'an