2012 Edmund Jones Essay
My Life in Swarthmore
By Hart Clements
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
As my senior year in high school is hectically coming to a close, I cannot help but to reflect on my childhood and the simpler times I have spent in Swarthmore. Looking back, it is surreal to recognize my idyllic location of my house which is just a short walk from SRS, downtown, or the Swim Club. As a 10 year old, nothing made me feel more grownup than biking with friends from SRA soccer practice to Renato’s for lunch. “It takes a village to raise a child,” and Swarthmore has provided me with that safe environment full of extensive resources and lasting relationships.
When one takes the time to visit Swarthmore’s official website, they come across this succinct blurb, which attempts to sum up the town in two sentences: “Since 1893, Swarthmore has been a tree-lined residential community of distinctive homes and quiet neighborhoods, anchored by the campus of Swarthmore College. At the center of the Borough is a downtown core of unique, independent shops and services.” While this definitely encompasses the shaded walks throughout town, gorgeous campus, and priceless charm that comes with Finlandia, Renato’s, or the late Michael’s and Sugar Plums, to name a few, it cannot put into words the intangibles that Swarthmore has to offer.
Swarthmore is a great example of a town in which everyone wants to look out for each other’s best interests. It never ceases to amaze me how many people know that I played a game the other day and were interested in the score or heard that something was wrong and just wanted to check in that I was okay. The friendships that I will take with me into college extend much further than my peers, but to the adults whom I have met through events, church, sports, or my parents. Their trust and encouragement are ever present and will continue to aid me in the future.
In Swarthmore as a child, there was always some form of community service to witness or help with. Not only did I see this activism most closely in my mother’s involvement, but also the neighbors, church community, and family friends throughout town. This commitment to stewardship and volunteerism has inspired my nonprofit interests and participation as I grow older. In the spring of my senior year, I found a need in the vacant and unusable field next to the tennis courts at Strath Haven. The area is often flooded due to its proximity to the school’s water-retention pond and poor drainage, so I organized a project in response to this problem. I will be planting 17 trees within that area with the help of 15 student volunteers and a grant which I received in April. This project’s fruition is just one facet of the community’s goals and influence which have in turn motivated me.
Growing up, I was so sure that I wanted to become a professional athlete or a famous actress in movies or on television. I had little interest in any other career choice and was set on the idea that I wanted to be in Times Square with all the flashing lights and larger-than-life stores. However, there is a reason for the cliché, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Next fall, as I attend the University of Virginia, I plan to study environmental thought and practice with a minor in global sustainability; topics which are held dear to many in “Tree City, USA” Swarthmore. I look forward to beginning the next stage of my life in a new environment, but never losing sight of the town which has shaped not only who I am today, but who I aspire to become in the future.