Discus Award Winner
Winners Gallery
PHOTOS
Ruth Hinkle
12th Grade, IN
ATTRIBUTES
Community Service
For the past three summers, I have spent one week volunteering with my youth group for Habitat for Humanity. We drive from Indianapolis to western Michigan where we spend the week putting up a house. Through these trips I have learned not only how to build a house, but I have learned how to help people in need. When we leave at the end of the week, I always wish that I could spend 10 more weeks just like that, giving other people something meaningful. I hope to use the building skills I have learned to continue to help people and I hope to make positive changes in others' lives for the remainder of my own.
Arts
I have been exposed to various forms of the arts my whole life. My parents and their friends all pursue the arts whether is is visual, musical, or writing arts. Through my own dabbling with the arts, I have discovered that photography (particularly film) and writing allow me to express myself. My photography focuses on both human expression and nature while my writing takes the form of poetry and short stories. I create pieces to decorate my house with and I love to create pieces for friends and family. Often I combine photography, writing, and drawing to create something for people I care about. My school life and extracurriculars can be so stressful, but art always brings me back to who I am.
Faith
Within my faith tradition, Unitarian Universalism, I have been active as a leader and participant. I have held three different positions on the Heartland District Youth Steering Committee. Two of those positions were by appointment and one by election. This committee plans and programs youth conferences in the Heartland District. I have served as a staff member for a multitude of those conferences and have been responsible for registrations, worship services, small group meetings, workshops, and other various staffing positions. At the Midwest Unitarian Universalist Summer Assembly I have planned worships for the past six years. One year I was the worship coordinator there. Within my youth group I have served as a leader in various ways.
