Avon Lake High School senior Danielle Patton is passionate about service and is hoping a video on the topic will help her earn a scholarship for college.

Patton created a 3 minute and 18 second video that focuses on a number of different service fields, interviewing medical professionals, teachers, students, an Avon Lake firefighter and even the city’s municipal court judge.

Patton was accepted at the University of Dayton, one of her top choices, where she plans on majoring in pre-med. Her video was submitted for the college's What is Servant Leadership? scholarship contest. 

She was inspired by a 2011 internship.

“This past summer I had an internship at Magee’s Womens Center in Pittsburgh,” Patton said.

There, she was involved with numerous programs including healthy eating for children and safe sex practices.

“There was a low socio-economic clinic that motivated me to help women,” she said.

Her experiences helped form the basis for the video that has been submitted to the University of Dayton. It could potentially earn Patton thousands of dollars in scholarship money.

“I really need it,” she said. “It’s the classic ‘stuck in the middle,’” she said of how some students’ families earn too much to qualify for tuition breaks but not enough to outright pay for tuition.

The busy teen is already working six days a week babysitting and working as a lifeguard at EMH Fitness Center to get a jump on tuition.

Her video, one of 50 submitted, focuses on the various types of service, from public servants to health care workers and includes a bunch of familiar faces including Avon Lake Municipal Court judge Darrel Bilancini and Avon Lake firefighter Lt. James Berry.

Berry, a 34-year firefighter, said in the video that service is something he never tires of.

“There’s nothing like going out and helping neighbors, friends and family and seeing the relief on their faces when they see a familiar face,” he said.

Bilancini considers his position one of public service. 

“I have authority under the law to affect people’s lives,” Bilancini said, adding that having compassion, being fair and having patience were imperative. “I’m acting as a servant leader when I do my job. ” 

Patton said it’s not important how you choose to serve, “but it’s imperative to serve."

“Service comes in many forms,” she said. 

Patton said it takes heart and courage to stop judging others and to put oneself in their shoes. Serving others drives home that point. She is hoping that those seeing the video will agree—and vote at least once a day through March 31.

The 10 videos with the most votes will move on for judging at the university. One winner will receive a $40,000 scholarship and two others will receive $5,000 each.

Voters can sign on through Facebook or log in to the site and vote here.