The Winning Essay Is….
Take a moment to read the essay that was the best of the best – submitted by Tutu Phan of Happy Valley. It is very inspirational, and earned her a timely $2,500 scholarship to the U of O. Her solution for solving world peace involves Rotary… and puzzles! Congratulations Tutu! Go Ducks!
Solving the Puzzle for World Peace
by Tutu Phan
Growing up, my mother and I would spend a lot of our time building puzzles. We’d take the chaotic mess of puzzle pieces and take turns finding the pieces that seemed to look alike or fit together. Sometimes the puzzles would take days or even weeks for us to finish but, by the end of it, we’d taken the chaotic mess and consolidated it into one united image. Alone, I would have most likely given up. Puzzles, metaphorically, are a lot like world peace. From only one perspective, finding world peace could seem overwhelming, time-consuming, and almost impossible. But, with a group of a hundred people or more, the idea of finding world peace seems just a little less daunting. With a mission to serve others and bring world peace, The Rotary Club is like the people who solve a puzzle. Just like connecting puzzle pieces, The Rotary Club connects the world.
World peace cannot be found in one day- it takes time and a group of people willing to make a change. Rotary International connects professionals from across the globe who have one common goal- to find world peace. With professionals dedicated to helping others, Rotary International can connect those puzzle pieces. These puzzle pieces may consist of communities all over the world, some suffering from violence, hunger, poverty, or even those that are well off. The point is, Rotary International is able to support and uplift those communities. With a large presence in communities all over the world, they can inspire others to join their cause; to make a movement. And as more people in communities join Rotary International in their mission, the puzzle pieces begin to connect and the idea of a finished and united puzzle, world peace, seems to be ahead.
Like The Rotary Club, helping others has always been one of my top priorities. I can remember even at the age of five, seeing someone upset made me want to immediately do what I could to help. For me, helping others can range from a number of things like comforting others, donating, doing someone a favor, or even starting my own charitable underwear and sock drive. I realize that whether it’s a small or big gesture, it’s helping connect those puzzle pieces in my community. With all of this in mind, I decided that I wanted a degree in business and economics. With a degree in business and economics at the University of Oregon, I gain a variety of skills and options for me to help others. I could become a financial consultant and help those financially, help manage a nonprofit, or even start a business to serve others.
The Rotary Club or Rotary International has a mission to serve others and find world peace. Similar to solving puzzles, the Rotary Club uses its resources and connections to take a chaotic mess of puzzle pieces to then connect them and eventually make a united image- world peace. I believe my ideals for my community and the world align closely with those of the Rotary Club. I think I make a great candidate for The Rotary Club Scholarship because, although I am seventeen and don’t have a “professional” job, I have still found ways to connect the puzzle pieces in my own community.
