Today's guest post is written by Curtis Clark, our new event intern at Points of Light.  He recently graduated from Georgia State University with his Masters of Science in Sports Management. This is the first post of a series from Curtis, to spotlight people within the Points of Light family.

Inspire, equip, mobilize. I was greeted with these three simple words when I arrived here on my first day. They are only three words, but I am learning when they are combined, they can really create change. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I applied with Points of Light (and let’s face it, I still don’t) but I do know that it’s for the better.  I plan on this piece being a start to a series of articles that can continue to provide depth and personality to the organization. I hope to give you all something insightful and heartfelt.

After my first week here, it seems like a perfect fit. It’s a pleasure to join Points of Light and so far it could not have been a smoother acclimation to the External Affairs team. In the first few days, I’ve had a fair amount to do and honestly couldn’t have been happier. The idea of contributing to a team has always been something I’ve been fond of. Playing competitive sports for your entire life builds a strong team-first mentality and a desire to produce a quality end result. You may be thinking to yourself, “What could a Masters graduate in Sports Management possibly bring to an organization like Points of Light?” And I would have to respond, “More than we would have ever known.”

Throughout my life, sports and community service have gone hand in hand. I was involved with baseball since I could remember. My parents always told me that New York Met and Yankee great, “Darryl Strawberry,” were my first words. As cute as that sounds, they weren’t, but my parents loved me and knew how much I cared about Darryl when I was a kid so what was the harm? I’ll get back to you when we fully know what damage was done. I started serving the community at my local Y’s Summer of Service camp for two years. It was really there where I learned valuable lessons about community service. There’s only so much a 13 year old class clown with a low attention span could grasp at that time but of all the things that would stick, was the idea and value of giving back. From there, my contribution to service and sport only grew.

I’ve organized a baseball camp for local Athens area youth, taught youth and adults about simple financial management skills, and, lastly, taught underprivileged youth about the positives of healthy eating through an Iron Chef® competition. This is not to brag, but to explain that from my background I think I can bring a lot to Points of Light and learn equally as much. From drafting press releases at previous internships, to creating policy manuals, and communicating with members through all walks of life, being a jack of all trades has its direct benefits.

I think I could learn so much here at Points of Light. The accessibility of each colleague, the openness of the office, and the knowledge each person possesses here are just few of the things that separate this organization from every place I’ve been to. I am excited for the opportunity and look forward to sharing a personal take on an intern’s experience. I want you to see how I’ve already been inspired, equipped and mobilized to make a difference and I want to pass it on.

Here are some links that can inspire, equip, and mobilize you into service.

Soccer in the Streets: http://www.sits.org/index.php?id=20

North Metro Miracle League: http://www.nmml.net/participate.html

UGA Cooperative Extension: http://extension.uga.edu/