Karissa Smith

I volunteered at the VAW Hot Dish & Hope event, where I helped prepare and pack meals. It was a simple but rewarding way to give back and support people in the community.

During the VAW Hot Dish & Hope service event, I helped pack food into containers to be distributed to people in need. This experience showed me how small acts of service can make a difference in the community. I enjoyed working with others and being able to give my time to help provide meals for others. Overall, this was a meaningful experience and reminded me of the importance of giving back and helping those around us.

I participated in the Earth and Environmental Science Club’s Adopt-A-Stream cleanup on April 26. We spent the morning picking up trash around the creek near Arlington Street, which showed me how much litter can build up in natural spaces.

I think the experience made me more aware of how small actions can impact the environment. It felt good to help clean up the community and be part of something that makes the area healthier and nicer to live in.

I attended the Earth Day 2026 event at Keeley Park in Greensboro with the Earth and Environmental Science Club at North Carolina A&T, where we hosted a community engagement stand. We shared information about how the environment impacts daily life through a poster, a trivia game with small prizes, and an interactive sticky note activity where people could write how the environment affects them.

I think this experience showed how effective simple, interactive conversations can be in raising awareness. It was interesting to see people reflect on their personal connections to the environment, and it made me realize how important community engagement is in encouraging others to think more about their environmental impact.