Throughout my life in South Seattle, Washington, I tried my best to find positive outlets for me to spend my time after school. This led me to pick up the violin and join the program Seattle Music Partners. It was an organization where high school students would be partnered up with elementary schoolers to help them learn different instruments. I started in the 4th grade and my tutor was a positive role model to look up to. When I got to high school, I thought it would only be right to give back.

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I became a tutor, and taught 4th and 5th graders how to play the violin. I not only

participated in the twice a week program during the school year, but also in the summer program. Many elementary schoolers might think that playing instruments isn’t for them, as they don’t see many people that look like them in the orchestra. In my high school, I was the only African American student in the orchestra. By becoming a tutor, I would break the stereotype and let the students know that playing an instrument is indeed something for people that look like them. 

 

Also, in the 3rd grade I had started going to the Rotary Boys and Girls Club in central Seattle. This was a positive place I could go to after school and express myself through art and sports. It was a great social environment of mostly African Americans where I made most of my friends I still have today. When I was a sophomore, I joined the Keystone program. This was a leadership program at the Boys and Girls club that aimed to help communities in need. My junior year of high school, I became the president of the program. With this responsibility, I led multiple clothing drives to Mary’s Place, which was a homeless shelter in Downtown Seattle. I also led equipment drives to elementary schools with low funding. We would also spend a lot of time at Rotary. I tried my best to be a positive role model to the kids. I focused on showing them that there are other ways to be successful in life other than playing sports or rapping. I stressed the fact that I was going to become a marketing and finance major, and that there are great careers out there for them. Many of the kids there looked up to me. I ended up being awarded by Rotary as the youth of the quarter.

 

Currently, I am a part of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Last year I helped run our annual St. Baldricks Pediatric Cancer Foundation philanthropy. I helped run livestreams to raise money. I also have helped run a grilled cheese stand at our house on campus to raise funds. This year I plan to help run an event with thousands of people attending to reach our goal of over $75k. Last year we raised $50k, and we have raised a little over $500k since we started raising money. When volunteering, I try not to do it to fill out some requirement. I try not to do it for likes on social media. I like to choose things that I truly care about. Programs that have impacted me in the past. I wanted to give back to Seattle Music Partners and Rotary, as they helped me become the man I am today. They kept me on the right path, and I want to be a part of changing the youth and keeping them on the right path. I want to change the stereotypes of African Americans. The best way I found to do that was to be the best Xavier I can be. By doing this, I aimed to be that person that the elementary students I mentored to look up to.