UC Personal Insight Question 7: Community Service Essay Examples and Writing Guide

Published on
July 17, 2024
All
Bachelors

Prompt: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

1 Tip that Matters💡🔆

When writing about community service, focus on describing your role and impact, even if your part was small. This is more impactful than just listing the larger activities. "For example, instead of 'I volunteered at a soup kitchen for two years', you could say:'As a soup kitchen volunteer, my main duty was preparing and packaging 50-75 meals per shift. I took pride in carefully assembling nutritious, high-quality meals with attention to detail, ensuring recipients received nourishing food.'"

First, let's dive into how to structure this essay effectively:

Structure of the Essay

Introduction: What Problem Are You Solving?

  • Hook: Start with an engaging statement or anecdote about your involvement in your school or community that highlights the issue you're addressing.
  • Problem: Clearly define the specific problem you are tackling for your school or community.

Body - Part 1: Specifics About the Action Taken

  • Describe in detail the actions you have taken or initiatives you have launched to address the problem.
  • Provide specific examples or evidence of your efforts and the steps involved in implementing your solution.

Body - Part 2: Challenges Faced

  • Discuss the challenges or obstacles you encountered while implementing your solution.
  • Explain how you overcame these challenges and any lessons learned from the experience.

Conclusion: Impact and Reflection

  • Summarise the impact of your efforts on the school or community.
  • Reflect on what you have learned from this experience and how it has shaped your perspective or future goals

Community Service PIQ Example 1

Seeing the waste problem at my school, I felt compelled to take action. Our school had recycling bins, but they were often ignored or used improperly. Determined to make a change, I launched an initiative called "Green Warriors" to promote recycling and sustainability.

I started by gathering a group of friends. Together, we devised a plan to educate our peers on the importance of recycling. We created posters and placed them around the school. These posters explained what items could be recycled and the benefits of doing so. We also held weekly announcements to remind everyone to use the recycling bins correctly.

To make recycling easier, we worked with the school administration. We placed labeled recycling bins in busy areas like the cafeteria and hallways. We also organised monthly "Recycling Drives." During these drives, students could bring in recyclable items from home.

The turning point came when we organized a school-wide assembly featuring a local environmental activist. Her speech about the impact of waste on our planet inspired many students to join our cause. After the assembly, we gave out reusable water bottles and tote bags to promote reducing single-use plastics.

Our efforts paid off. Within a few months, the amount of recyclables collected increased. More students began to participate in our Recycling Drives. We even partnered with a local recycling center to ensure proper disposal of the collected materials.

The success of "Green Warriors" extended beyond improving recycling habits. It sparked environmental awareness at our school. Students began to form new habits, like using reusable containers and reducing paper waste. Our initiative also led to the creation of an environmental club. This club promotes sustainability and organises clean-up events in our community.

Through "Green Warriors," I learned the power of grassroots efforts. A group of determined individuals can make an impact. By promoting sustainability, we made our school greener and more aware of the environment.

🎓 GradGPT Score: 91/100 🌟

Essay does excellent on alignment, authenticity and structure.
All 5 stages pass on the essay coach

Community Service PIQ Example 2

In my community, I noticed families struggling to get enough nutritious food. This problem motivated me to take action. I started "Food for All," an initiative to help improve access to healthy food. Our goal was to support those facing food insecurity in our neighborhood.

We teamed up with local stores and farmers markets to set up weekly food distributions. These distributions gave fresh produce and pantry staples to families in need. We also held cooking workshops to teach easy, budget-friendly meal prep skills. These workshops helped families make the most of the food they received.

The journey had challenges at every step. We faced several issues with organizing deliveries and getting funds. Engaging the community and ensuring ongoing support was tough, too. But we worked hard to overcome these hurdles. Over time, Food for All improved its logistics. We limited deliveries to Thursdays to ensure greater efficiency. Our TikTok page reached over 3 million views and attracted 11 new donors. These experiences make me confident that we'll only get better with time. 

Through "Food for All," we observed significant results firsthand. Families felt healthier and saved money on groceries. Beyond providing food, our initiative fostered a strong sense of community. Families and volunteers formed close bonds. Local businesses felt more committed to supporting people in need.

This experience deepened my understanding of systemic food insecurity issues. It strengthened my commitment to promoting fairness and sustainability in our community.

🎓 GradGPT Score: 89/100 🌟

Essay does well on alignment, consistent writing and writing style.
The essay passes all 5 stages on the essay coach.

In conclusion, follow the outline of introducing the problem you're solving, detailing the actions taken and challenges faced, and summarizing the impact and reflections to create the first draft. Next, work upon the draft to build the essay. Finally, check whether you score more than 80 and pass all 5 checks on the essay coach.