There was a saying in our Citizenship Advancement Training (C.A.T.) program: “Esprit de Corps”.
This can be interpreted in many ways, but for us, it practically boiled down to one word — Unity.
I managed to stir up enough courage to apply as a CAT officer back in Grade 9. This was a
breakaway choice on my end because 1. I did not join many organizations back in high school, and 2. It
called me to do, what I would say, ridiculous and tiring activities and exercises. Nevertheless, I wrote my
name on a piece of 1/4 paper and dropped it — treating it as if I were entering a lottery ticket.
The biggest takeaway I got from those 4 tiring months of training is that leadership isn’t a
triangle; it’s a line. And as such with lines, they are composed of dots. Everyone who applied to that CAT
officer program all wanted to be in leadership roles; all wanted an opportunity to serve. At first, I
thought that the “best” will only be accepted. But later on, even you would come to realize that the
person who can do more than 500 push-ups or the person with the highest grades has no guarantee of
getting in. In the end, the ones who showed qualities and skills of teamwork, communication, and, of
course, Esprit de Corps were the ones getting officer roles.
How does this relate to my definition of “Service Above Self”? Well, throughout my time in
Rotaract, I have seen the exact qualities showcased in everyone — regardless if they are officers or not.
People from different backgrounds present qualities of volunteerism, leadership, and professionalism
being utilized in various projects. All of these are done in the name of contributing to something bigger
than one’s self. And this is what I believe the quote “Service Above Self” means — to use one’s talents
and skills for a collective goal.
I believe that one goal of Rotaract is to create leaders. The type of leaders who shows a standard of professionalism and keeps in mind to put others first. My time in Rotaract has only affirmed this notion – especially when I saw the people who comprise this organization create an environment of
positive self-growth. I now believe that everyone who enters Rotaract would one way or another have
the same reason for bettering one’s self – thus sustaining this avenue for self-growth. To put it short,
Rotaract is an opportunity for channeling our strengths into projects that we imagine can serve to
change lives – ultimately causing positive change for others and one’s self.
