Danny Pohl '14

The single most important value I have learned from my upbringing is that giving back to the community should be a daily choice. Each day, through an act, a gesture, a behavior, even a thought, I try to make the choice to positively influence those around me. These daily actions began as a third grader; I remember helping to build a playhouse for underprivileged children in Detroit. When my Boy Scout troop finished, we were proud that our accomplishment would provide each child with an escape from their difficult backgrounds. At that age, it was difficult to comprehend the depth to which my decision to help would impact the community. However, this same choice started me on a journey of service that has constantly impressed upon me the good that can come from helping others. My current stop on this lifelong path of aiding others is at an organization called Youth to Youth (Y2Y). I have swapped out my playhouse building toolkit, however, for one that allows me to serve homeless 18-24 year olds in the Boston area. Y2Y, the country’s first student run youth homeless shelter, opened it’s doors in December 2015 and provides dozens of homeless youth a safe haven. From trying to balance being an authority figure while servicing our guests to dealing with intense shelter situations – for example, medical emergencies – this service opportunity has challenged me in many ways. My role as supervisor is definitely one of the most exhausting experiences I have ever faced, but one of the most rewarding, as well.