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Caring Award Honors Senior
by Tim Taylor
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This year's G. McLeod Bryan Caring award went to Angela Dolezal for her outstanding efforts in tutoring and mentoring Hispanic children.
Angela hails from Tennessee. She has been interested in doing more for others ever since she can remember. She came to Mars Hill as a Bonner scholar and student athlete with the Lady Lion soccer team. She excelled in many of her classes, but she wanted to take her favorite classes and use them to help others. She took Spanish 101, fell in love with the language, and signed up for more.
Through the Bonner program she then utilized her skills to help children in Yancy County learn English as a second language. Angela says that when she would have a bad day at school, soccer practice, or work, she would walk into the Waldo or Madison Middle Schools and her students magically lifted all worries and doubts. "They would make me smile and make me laugh."
She says that she would learn from her students more then she could from any book. Their problems were so much more than hers that theirs would take over. Some of their stories showed her that they were braver then anyone should have to be at their age. When they immigrated to America, "some of them actually had to hide in caves and in woods" just to make it to the land of the free and opportunity. " They have taught me strength and courage."
Angela also spent several months in Honduras teaching and living with families in houses made of cardboard and aluminum, eating and sleeping as they would. "They had nothing, yet they would give up their beds and blankets for us…. True hospitality is not giving up a piece of cake or a cup of tea." They would wash her dishes.
Living with these people taught her many things like servitude, joy, dedication, hospitality, and devotion, she said. "It reminds you not to worry about the little things." When they would go to church they would be so devoted to the Lord that it just made her join in with their praises. "They would sing so loudly and off key that you couldn't help but smile and clap with them."
She said that her experiences have taught her so much more than she has ever dreamed, and she hopes to continue her efforts in the future. Angela also thanked the community and faculty for their dedicated efforts in helping her to experience all that she has.
Click for other Service Awards.
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