Omicron Team Breaks Record with Over 100 Volunteers

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Service could not be exemplified better than by the Wesleyan Omicron Service Society. Omicron is an after-school activity where many Wesleyan high school students volunteer to serve the Peachtree Corners community. While they go to many different locations, they mainly focus on tutoring younger children and spending time with the elderly. Members of the team, including sophomore Elizabeth Schneider, think of Omicron as an “enriching opportunity to serve others.” It gives students the opportunity to reach out and improve not only the children’s lives, but also the future of Peachtree Corners.

Something exciting about the team includes the massive number of volunteers this year. Omicron is expanding rapidly each year, and this year the desire to join the team is only growing. There are over 100 student volunteers, which is thrilling in comparison to last year’s 75 volunteers. Kali Sessions, the Assistant Director of Christian Life and leader of the Omicron Team, was very excited about the surplus of volunteers this season. Sessions said, “I think it’s very telling of our community; we are truly living out the JOY motto. The students see the need for help, and they want to meet the need. It’s not about checking the box for college applications or service hours, but actually about helping and serving others.” This devotion of time and effort given by the students every week is not without rewards; they know that without their help, kids would not be able to understand and practice necessary work. They place care and priority in educating the children because they know that it has a lasting impact on their future. Sessions said, “It’s just so cool to see that we have kids that are so committed to serve on a weekly basis and give up their time so willingly.”

Not only do students serve on a weekly basis, but they are also encouraged to sign up for Saturday services. Saturday services are opportunities given on the weekend where students are encouraged to serve non-profit organizations like the Ronald McDonald House or the Norcross Co-Op. These services put an emphasis on selflessly giving and serving when it is most inconvenient. Schneider said, “It gives me an opportunity to get out of my day-to-day routine and humble myself by serving others.” Along with great and willing volunteers, the team would be nothing without their senior captains. Captain Emily Becker said, “I think everyone should do Omicron for at least one year. I just started Omicron this year, but it is already so much fun. Everyone you are serving is so kind and grateful, and you feel like you are really making a difference.”

Omicron is a great way to make friends and meet others in your community by serving alongside them. Greg Lisson, Wesleyan Director of Christian Life, put it best when he said, “It is a team of people committed to consistent and regular service. In most opportunities service is a one-time experience, but omicron has you going back to places and forming relationships with those there. You have a consistent relationship, and that is a different kind of service that I think is more about the person you are serving than yourself.”

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