Blog by: Margarita Azaria
Have you ever known someone who has ever pulled a fire alarm at school? Everyone at Antioch Middle School probably remembers one kid in particular. Junior Parker Ryan Elgin pulled the fire alarm at Antioch in 8th grade and then just sat in front of it. From then on, many of his peers have had a bad image of him.
In high school we all tend to judge people on the way of how they look, dress, or their past, but no one truly tries to get to know one another.
Not only do people not know him, but also they don’t know how good of a person he is. His whole family, relatives, and himself go out to volunteer at Kemper Arena every year for the past three years during Christmas time to provide foster children with a nice Christmas dinner and Santa Claus.
You could imagine the calmness of Christmas dinners and children meeting Santa Claus, but in reality it’s nothing like that. Most of the foster kids are rebels.
“It gets crazy. Last year my grandma got punched,” Elgin said.
Elgin volunteers for about 3 or 4 hours a night. He enjoys it so much that he is even taking his best friend, junior Nick Rocco, this Friday to volunteer with him.
“We’re both really excited,” Elgin said.
Volunteering, operating the Santa room, you tend to hear a lot of the things children ask for.
“What really got my heart was a boy asking for his dad,” Elgin said.
He doesn’t just volunteer for foster children. He also has volunteered at a battered women’s shelter making and serving food.
“On Christmas Eve a woman came in with her kids because her husband started beating her up. It was sad,” Elgin said.
Volunteering during a special time of the year helps Elgin realize important things in life.
“I love volunteering,” Elgin said. “Afterwards you feel thankful for what you have.”
Elgin has had a rough past and maybe did make a bad image for himself 8th grade year, but don’t judge a book by its cover. People have their obstacles, but Parker is one to overcome them. He sets goals for himself and tries everything he can possibly do to achieve them.
Elgin is joining the National Guard and also wants to become a police officer. He will be the first in his family to graduate.
“I want to break my family chain,” Elgin said.
He is starting basic training in the summer of 2013. He has also had ride alongs with police officers from Raytown, Belto and Gladstone where he has already experienced what police officers on duty are like.
“You’re gonna make such a good cop,” Dianna Elgin, Elgin’s mom, said.
Next time you’re judging someone, please wonder about how they truly are. Don’t judge without knowing. Get to know people out of your circle. You never know what valuable things they will teach you. They could change your life in such an amazing way.