My view of the world completely changed when I was in eighth grade. Up until then, I was mainly concerned about getting to know cute guys, arguing with my parents about curfew and spending equal time with all of my friends. I lived in my own little world.

But at the beginning of eighth grade, I was required to do volunteer work as part of my church youth group. My friends and I made a pact to choose the same task. At least we'd be together in our misery. We signed up for the Buddy Program which consisted of weekly visits to a home for mentally and physically challenged adults. Each one of us was paired up with a buddy to spend time with each week.

At first, I only looked forward to the Buddy Program because it gave me a chance to gossip with my friends on the bus to and from the center. But after a while, the subject of our conversations changed. As time passed, we spent more and more time comparing notes about our buddies and sharing stories of our weekly activities.

It was obvious that we were all truly starting to care about our buddies and the time we spent with them.

My buddy was named Nancy. Every time I arrived at the center, her eyes would light up and she'd run over to me. Sometimes she hugged me so hard that staff members had to pull her away! Nancy didn't know how to talk, but she loved to laugh. She'd giggle every time she made a basket in the gym or finished a simple arts and crafts project. And whenever I walked Nancy back to her room at the end of my visits, she held my hand and would try to give me a parting gift -- like a dirty shirt or an old Popsicle stick. She made me laugh and I felt proud to be her friend.

One day, I received a thank-you note in the mail. It was from Nancy's parents, who had placed her in the center when they could no longer take care of her...

They had noticed a change in Nancy; she seemed a bit happier and more energetic. They thought her change in attitude might have been due to my visits. The thought that I had made such a positive impact on another human life blew me away.

That experience boosted my confidence and helped me to see that I could make a difference. It motivated me to do my part to make this world a better place. During high school, I took every possible opportunity to get involved in community service. I organized the largest food drive in the history of my school district, started a youth environmental club called Save Our Surroundings (which still exists), helped preserve a local park and gave anti-drug speeches at area schools, among other things.

I won some awards and the respect of many people through my volunteer work, but the biggest reward was within me. My activities gave me a sense of purpose in life and made me feel so fulfilled.

That's what being a Care Girl is all about. It's taking the time to help others, finding a way to solve local problems, choosing to make the world a little brighter and feeling proud of the work you've done.

You have the power to change the world -- one step at a time.

Do you want a buddy to talk to about what's going on in YOUR life? Sign up for an e-pal in Girl Zone's write@her now!