The Glory of Missouri award recognizes students across Missouri for embodying one of the virtues of the Missouri House of Representatives. Tahj Gayfield, senior, was one of this year’s honorees.

“Tahj won the Glory of Missouri award for his community service,” junior principal Micheal McGehee, said.

Students can either nominate themselves or be nominated by a staff member who feels that he deserves recognition.

“One of his teachers nominated him because they were impressed by his service work,” McGehee said. “He ended up winning the award, which was great.”

Gayfield won the award for Charity, and said he mainly does his community service through school programs.

“I do volunteer work with NHS and Key Club,” Gayfield said. “I just volunteered at this elementary school for a science night. Its just different things in this area and around the community.”

Gayfield currently has the most hours in both NHS and Key Club.

“I got 100 hours of volunteer work total in Key Club and NHS first semester,” Gayfield said. “I guess I do about 200 to 250 hours of community service every year.”

Volunteering has both its good and bad moments, and Gayfield has experienced plenty of both. One of his favorite to talk about was his experience helping out at a marathon.

“I once had to help at a St. Louis marathon,” Gayfield said. “It is always really fun because you get up at like 4:30 in the morning and you hand out water to runners. Its pretty cool I like it.”

In contrast, Gayfield’s worst experience was at a talent show for young children.

“I had to help out at this talent show at Kehrs Mill and it was awful,” Gayfield said. “Kids, man. I hate little children now because of this. We had to contain them in this room until they are ready to go on stage. And kids are crazy.”

In the end, Gayfield said he is happy to help out whenever he can, and views charity as a good way to improve oneself.

“I volunteer because I just like helping people,” Gayfield said. “It makes me feel good because I once read that Booker T Washington said that ‘If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else’ so that’s why I have so many hours.”