- According to ServiceLearning.org, Service Learning is: a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

 Giving back to your community is a great way to help out.  You learn a lot about yourself through doing it.  It gives you the feeling that you have accomplished something of great.

Relay for Life is: One day. One night. One community: By participating in an American Cancer Society Relay For Life ® event near you, you honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives lost to the disease, and raise money to help fight it – all right in your community. Much more than a walk around a track, Relay is a time to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember those lost and get inspired to fight back. Those who have shared the same experience find common ground, hope and healing at Relay. By participating, you have the power to continue the American Cancer Society's progress toward a future where cancer doesn't take the lives of our friends and family.

Every dollar you raise makes a difference to people in your community whose lives are touched by cancer. The Society has contributed to almost every major discovery in cancer research. Millions of lives have been saved as a result, including people you may know. For those people and countless others, the research the Society has funded is resulting in better ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer.

“TIREd of Cancer” was our team’s theme for the night.

I participated as a member of the F.Y.E. Team for Relay For Life. I helped with setting up the tent and getting everything ready for the event. I provided a spare tire for the team to use as decorations because the theme was “Tired of Cancer”.

Also, at Relay for Life, I participated in a man pageant, where I had to be dressed as a woman. I made a pretty ugly female, but I did my best. I went by the name of Cleopatra Storm. There was about nine other guys that did it as well. They had us do an introduction portion, a talent portion, and an interview portion. For my talent I sang Shania Twain’s, “Man I Feel Like A Woman”. I was pretty awesome, I must say. However, I did not make the top five, which is ludicrous because I was at least top three.

I needed to complete all ten hours at Relay for Life. However, I wound up collecting fifteen hours. Because I was out there so long I had to take a little breather every now and then.

It was about four in the morning and we were all pretty hungry and worn out. So, we got some doughnuts.

We had a lot of fun at Relay for Life. It was hard work, but we got to have fun doing it. There was a kickball tournament that we got to participate in. We lost, but it was good. Plus, even though I was the ugliest girl in the universe and I made a fool of myself, part of me did have a good time doing the pageant.

 The long hours.  The heat during set-up.  Dressing up as a girl and embarrassing myself.

I learned that a little help can go along way. There was a lot of little things I did at relay for life to help out. I helped put all the trashcans out around the event and a lot of us with the F.Y.E. team help people set up there tents. Everyone seems to have appreciation for the help that we provided.

I had a great time participating on the Freshman Year Experience’s Relay for Life team. We raised a lot of money. In fact we raised the second largest amount out of all the teams that participated. It was a fun night even though I had to do it. It turned out to be more than just completing hours. The experience has made me realize that community service can be fun and exciting. I would definitely do it again if given the opportunity.