It's not too hard to imagine 16-year-old Anthony Paz '08 cleaning beaches near Eureka, his hometown in California, while also volunteering at a petting zoo. Now, six years later, he is a Big Brother to an eighth-grade boy for the Hampshire Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) program. Paz also finds time to reach out to children across the nation through his role in the Admission Office as a Diversity Intern and a Telementor. He introduces underprivileged high school students to Amherst College and mentors three low-income students in the college application process.

There are other things about Paz that aren't so obvious, such as his interest for trees and the world environment. A lot of what Paz does is tied to his religious faith and background as a Roman Catholic. Prior to coming to the College, he was involved in youth retreats in his church. Now, you can find him serving in the Amherst Christian Fellowship (ACF) and the Newman Club. In fact, he has become involved locally with a the Catholic Agape Community-an environmentally sustainable community that grows its own food-drives a car that is powered by vegetable oil and lives in a house powered by solar energy. Paz is glad to have found a community that sustains itself by saving energy.

We see mostly college students and a handful of professors walking around the Amherst Common. Many students might not be aware of how much diversity actually exists within Amherst and the communities nearby such as Holyoke and Springfield. However, as Paz observes, there is a substantial population of immigrants residing very close to us in communities that are only about a half an hour drive away.

Paz has worked in Holyoke through the Community Outreach Orientation Trip. He sees hope in the grassroots organizations that are building schools and raising funds for the community. They are a group of people that are eager to do something about the community. Paz remains optimistic because these people are self-motivated in actively obtaining skills necessary to empower themselves in the community.

Like many students involved in educational outreach, Paz feels that it is vital for students to help out in the community with the skills that they have. When one chooses what community outreach activity to commit to, it is important to look at what skills he or she can bring to the program.

Thanks in large part to his community service experience, Paz is considering becoming a teacher. He loves connecting with people and he is glad to have found the opportunity to mentor and talk to younger people. He likes individual mentoring. This interest has led him to the BBBS program and his work in the Admissions Office. He seems to have found a solid place in each one of his activities. Paz is also considering spending some time in one of the communities after graduating because he sees committing to a low-income community to be an obligation to him as a Christian.

He is more than a charismatic and spiritual friend to many; he is also a wonderful cook. You can walk into Chapin Chapel and find him cooking lasagna and salad for the Amherst Christian Fellowship Friday Night Service.

After talking to this correspondent, Paz was on his way to meet his little brother from the Hampshire BBBS Program. As he walked with his little brother into Valentine Hall, one can immediately sense his love for what he was doing. His religious faith and his love have really manifested themselves in his interactions with his community. Paz just created a new group, "Agape is Love," on Facebook and anyone who knows him well also understands that the group couldn't suit him any better.