Graduating Seniors Give Back To The Community
Kim Aked shines Florence Henley’s quiet days.
Aked, a Shadle Park High senior, spends about an hour a week chatting with the elderly Henley, bed-bound at Manor Care nursing home.
No credit. No pay. Just two friends, separated by many decades, talking school, friends, work and boys. The conversation is one-sided because Aked has a hard time understanding Henley, who lost her teeth.
But that’s all right, she says.
“It’s so rewarding,” said Aked, 17. “You actually see that she is happy when you visit.”
Aked, like many graduating seniors, beefed up her resume by volunteering at local institutions. Experiences were limited only by curiosity and willingness to give hours. Students spent time everywhere from churches to jails, hospitals to community centers.
More students are volunteering now, educators say. That is partly due to encouragement from teachers and advisers, who emphasize “real-world” experience as a supplement to classroom learning.
“The more experiences they have, the broader the base of learning they can draw on,” said Janice Hergert of Shadle Park High’s Learning Opportunity Center.
“It’s important to give back to the community.” Hergert said. “It gives kids life experience.
“It gives some purpose for some of them. It helps them get goals. It exposes them to some jobs.”
Many students volunteer to scout jobs. David Anthony also found a career path through volunteering.
Always interested in conservative politics, Anthony interned with U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton’s Spokane office last summer. He decided he wanted to be a politician.
What he learned in civics classes was poor preparation for a firsthand look at politics.
“They don’t teach you about the government in school,” said Anthony. “You learn about government (in Gorton’s office). You learn that government doesn’t work.”
Like Anthony, Rogers’ Charlie McMichael is part of the Police Explorer program. He learns the lingo and life of deputies while patrolling and attending training camps.
He has spent more than 1,900 hours volunteering over the past 2-1/2 years. Youths in the program provide security for neighborhood functions and back up police for big events like the Lilac Parade.
“It gives me responsibility and it gives me a sense of pride,” said McMichael, the Rogers student body president. “I’m out doing something, not just sitting on my rear.”
Even after seeing dead bodies and pulling such gruesome shifts as searching for Rachael Carver, McMichael wants to be a cop.
“This is going to make me a better police officer,” said McMichael.
Jennifer Skeim of Shadle Park spent six hours a week at the Spokane juvenile jail.
Between filing paper work and entering data on a computer, she sneaked into several trials, including hearings for someone accused of murder, 15-year-old Kenneth Comeslast.
She now understands better how youths her age can get in trouble. Drugs and alcohol can instigate bad things, she says.
“I never really knew what went on and why people end up there,” said Skeim, 18. “Now I can see how younger kids can have a bad home life … and end up there.”
Between fielding calls from irate parents, Skeim decided she wanted a career in court administration. She plans to enter Spokane Community College’s program in that field.
Amy Moore of Shadle Park turned a volunteer job at a North Side nursing home into a career stepping-stone. After spending two months giving nurses a hand, she was hired at Alderwood Manor.
She is now almost half-way to her degree from Spokane Falls Community College and certification as a nursing assistant.
“You go to school, you learn, then you really do it,” said Moore.
At North Central High School, a quartet of seniors coordinated a West Central neighborhood carnival. Kelly Engel, Cody Keagan, Crystal Tonasket and Matt Wilson helped raise money and find booths for circus games. Wilson also judged the parade.
“It’s one of the greatest things that we can do,” said Wilson. “It’s basically for the (neighborhood) kids.”
He called West Central elementary schools and talked to community volunteers. The experience improved his communication skills and made him realize the positive impact youth can have on each other.
“Everybody can benefit from different volunteer service,” said Wilson.
Many others spent time at church youth groups.
Mead’s Mark Mohrlang doesn’t count hours spent leading songs and playing the guitar for church-goers as work.
He says he got more back than he gave.
“My youth group has been so encouraging, challenging and exciting,” said Morhlang. “My friends there are my friends for life.”
, DataTimes