MANDY
WHITE
ERIN KELNER and and Ashley Barker pack Meals on Wheels
dinners.
By MANDY WHITE
"Show me the money." For some people, money's the only way to
get
them out of couch mode and into work mode. But for Ashtabula
County's student volunteers, money isn't the motivation.
Elizabeth Azzano, a senior at SS John and Paul high school, has been
volunteering for the Happy Hearts gym class since the school year
began. She helps the gym instructor teach students to improve their
motor skills by activities like bicycle riding. Her take on volunteering
is definitely positive.
"I really enjoy it because I get to work with kids. They are very
energetic and they have a real love for learning," she said. Elizabeth
also adds that the experience is going to help her a lot in college. She
plans to major in childhood development.
SS John and Paul high school has been using a very successful method
for getting students out and active in their community. Senior Service,
a program that's part of earning their religion credit, allows seniors to
spend time during school - about 90 minutes - volunteering. Marilou
McClimans, a religion teacher at the school, says that the benefits
have been both for the students and needy area programs.
"I think it shows them what it's like in the work force. It helps them
to
find out what area they are interested in," she said. "Also, it
lets
(students) know that they shouldn't have to get paid for everything
they do."
SS John and Paul decides what programs its students will participate
in, the Catholic Service League, Happy Hearts and the Red Cross.
For other students whose schools don't allow them to volunteer during
the school day (or give them credit for volunteering), spending
precious time and getting no pay in return may seem like a chore or a
bore or both. Others would like to help, but don't think they have the
time.
But, with a little investigating it's possible to find an option that fits
personal interests, abilities and time restrictions.
High schools definitely have a lot of options in the community when it
comes to volunteering.
Community Action, for instance, recently accepted an offer by
Edgewood Senior High School students offers to help regular Meals on
Wheels workers deliver hot meals to older residents. Students helped
package the hot food and personally delivered it to residents all
through Christmas vacation. Though things get a little confusing at
times, community services director Connie Miller said she believes the
kids did a great job.
" I really thought the kids came through. (Meals on Wheels) takes a
lot
of coordination, a lot of reminders. But I think we were all really
pleased."
Miller said that she hopes to incorporate more teens this summer to
deliver meals. Another program sponsored by Community Action to
take place this summer, also needs volunteers. The Summer Food
program, a countywide effort to provide nutritious lunches to children
of low income families, is looking for people with a sense of fun to
play games and provide activities for kids who come for lunch.
For those who would like to gain experience in teaching, try the Red
Cross. First Aid for Children, a class for elementary children, is taught
by volunteers. Teen helpers are especially effective in this program,
because as one Red Cross worker put it, "little kids think the older
ones are pretty cool."
Teens who really want to make a difference should give Spiderweb in
Jefferson a shot. It's an afterschool program that gives kids help with
homework and a chance to read to a volunteer. Kenetta Serwatka,
executive director of the program, says that kids who participate in the
program adore the volunteers.
I think that (teen volunteers) can relate to the kids very well,"
Serwatka said. "It hasn't been too long since they were that young
and
maybe faced the same problems in school."
Feel a bibliophilistic beckoning? Many local libraries eagerly accept
offers of a little help. Ashtabula Public Library youth services
coordinator Amy Richnaffky will put you to work shelving books,
making copies (with a printer, of course), selling books and giving
everything a good dusting in the youth department.
Despite the above suggestions, there are endless places to volunteer in
the community - for teens and adults. The important thing is, to find
one.
Here are contacts for those wanting to volunteer:
Catholic Service League, 992-2121
Community Action, 997-5957
Ashtabula Public Library, 997-9341
Red Cross, 998-1020
Spiderweb, 576-4547
He finds
volunteering after school satisfyingA Jimmy Howell column
Life is short and tough like a bodybuilding elf, or so I'm told. Because
I'm so young, I don't know the actual shortness for life, but I can
probably give my testament on how tough it is. That being the case, it is
my ultimate goal to end some of the toughness that most people are
forced to endure. Through my experience as a volunteer at Ashtabula
County Community Action, I have been able to accomplish part of that
goal.
Picture it. It was the end of August; my summer job was coming to an
end. My creative talents were going to go to waste. I needed to find
something that was going to occupy my time and give me an outlet for
my energy. Suddenly, the brilliant idea to volunteer at Community
Action popped into my head. Since then, I have been giving up my time
after school to do office work for the agency.
Community Action is Ashtabula County's answer to the United Nations.
It's an organization based on the humanitarian principles of simply
helping others. It oversees so many other subsidiary programs that each
have their own mission for assistance, just like the United Nations. And
to be involved with this organization has been the kind of
career/educational experience that I seek.
Despite my involvement with the agency, I was beginning to feel like I
was useless. I felt useless not only in my volunteering, but also in life
in
general. I needed to do something that made me feel as if I were
making a difference. I really needed to do something that made me feel
like I was affecting some kind of change. I'm sure you've had that
feeling every once in a while. You know, where you go about your
everyday life and you feel like each day is the same as before? And you
just need a release from it all and do something new, creative, and,
most of all, effective. Well, that's how I felt.
I found my release by ending the bodybuilding elf syndrome for some
deserving people.
In the middle of October, I had got to speaking with Connie Miller, one
of the bigwigs down at Community Action. I thought it would be an
interesting experience if I could get some teenagers involved with the
Meal Delivery Program. The Meal Delivery Program is a service
provided to deserving people who cannot cook their meals for
themselves and, therefore, require someone else to cook their meals for
them.
Every day, the meals are delivered like clock work. The exception to
that is over the holidays. And, over the holidays, some of the regular
deliverers like to take a vacation. Well, I needed to help out and I saw
this as my chance to do so. Along with Ashley Barker, Amanda
Bateman, Tom Bush, Joe Donatone, Megan Dufour, Jean Gray, Bryce
Heinaugh, Erin Kelner, Krista Knuebel, Paula Lampela, Leah Skaggs,
Courtney Wetzel and Mandy White, I had the experience of delivering
these meals as a volunteer.
The experience has opened my eyes wider. Life is tough for a lot of
people that it shouldn't be tough for. But it's people like those at
Community Action that are working everyday to lessen the toughness.
And I am just glad that I could have been a part of it.
While Howell helps deliver meals, they don't, repeat, DON'T let him
cook any of it. Cancel that ambulance to have your stomach pumped.
People Magazine has something new out, this time for kids.
Teen People will be out Friday at newsstands, with actress Jennifer
Love Hewitt on the cover.
Publisher Nora McAniff says the magazine "is the first general interest
publication for teens that celebrates their diverse lifestyles and wide
array of interests."
Yep, get a backstage look at Hanson, check out the Spice Girls, old
pictures of Brad Pitt, find out who in a group shot of teens is no longer
a virgin and peruse old pictures of Brad Pitt.
There's of course ads with anorexic-looking models and others for
embarrassing female products.
There's even a photo of Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers with Mick
Jagger. No, Mick isn't a teen-ager, but the Rollings Stones front man
used to be.
And he's been performing longer than Hanson.
Yes, Teen/Currents is the coolest part of the newspaper, but flip over
to
page C4 (unless you are reading the online edition, then just click at the
appropriate place) to read Ann
Landers.
It's about a teen who finds she's discriminated at by various businesses
and isn't happy. So we are wondering, when you are with friends at a
restaurant, do you get less than courteous treatment because of your
age?
Are you angry when only one or two students are permitted in a store at
a time?
Well sound off right here. Send your experiences and comments to
Teen/Currents, Star Beacon, Box 2100, Ashtabula, Ohio 44004, or e-
mail bobleb@suite224.net or fax
at 998-7938. We will withhold your
name on request if you are a bit shy, but we need your name, city and
phone number for confirmation purposes. (No, we don't care if you've
already been through confirmation.)
So here's a chance to vent your frustration.
Man, venting your frustration and going backstage with Hanson in the
same day. Can your life get any better?.
E-mail really cool Teen/Currents
editor
Visit the really cool Teen/Currents
editor's updated and bigger and better-than-ever home page
(Come on, it's got a counter now so I need more hits. Also, cool photos
of the Rolling Stones in tour)