Volunteer Guide for Students and Parents

Thank you to Mary Lynn Perry, from the Volunteer Center of Sacramento, for this comprehensive guide 

to GOOD WORKS for students and their parents!

www.volunteersac.org

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to provide the following community service resources to students!

ANIMALS/ENVIRONMENT, CHILDREN/EDUCATION, FOOD/SHELTER, HEALTH/SAFETY, HUMANITARIANISM, SENIORS/DISABLED, SPORTS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

• Database of Opportunities by Interest Category

• Reflections on Service by Category

• Calendar of Opportunities

• Videos of Students Doing Good Works in their Areas of Interest

Good Works Medicine for My Injured Hand

Have you ever regretted not stopping the car when you saw an accident? I have, but a sweet woman named Christine made made all the difference when she turned her car around on the way home from work December 27th in Salt Lake City. I am fairly athletic and coordinated, but I do trip sometimes while running. I'm writing this blog with one hand to say a big "Thanks!" to all the Christine's out there who slow down enough to perceive human need. She could see that I was not alone, but that fact did not deter her questioning, "Are you okay?" The self-sufficient side of me insisted, "Yeah, I'm okay thanks," until I pulled my hand from a deep crevice next to the sidewalk. "Wait, no, I think we need a ride."

Back at home in the Bay Area, Doctor Schneider, the hand specialist at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, described this as a "severe injury" that will take four months to heal. When I told our department at Paly that I would need some time off, an extremely generous co-worker offered to make a Costco run.  I asked for three items (embarrassed to need help), she showed up with a station-wagon full--we've been feasting for days. She would not accept reimbursement and even offered to go again. I wouldn't dream of sending her back into the traffic jam she dealt with to get here, but the gesture means everything.

In my broken, lopsided state I don't know who feels better from these acts of service and going out of one's way, these and others who have helped or myself having been a reluctant receiver of their goodness!

For the first hour, as we drove in circles looking for an urgent care clinic that didn't seem to exist on Google Maps, I had no feeling in my finger. I was sure it was severed under the thick cotton running gloves, but was elated when my husband asked if it was bleeding. "No," I said, "just dangling and I can't feel it."

Palo Alto Online : Paly students honored for community service

A Small Representation of Palo Alto High School's 162 Fall 2011 President's Award Recipients

Are there any other schools out there that run a similar program to ours at Palo Alto High School? What a cool job I have to document, verify, and share our students' service hours--with the essential help of our dynamic parent volunteers. About a third of our student body is actively involved in community service. I am so proud of our students' contributions, they make the world a better place while pursuing their interests and passions! Go Vikings, keep me smiling every day with your good works.

Palo Alto Online : Paly students honored for community service

Palo Alto High School's Service-Learning Program

• Living Skills Course (mandatory) Requirement: 15 service hours during class enrollment. Written reflection required by teacher.
• Transcript Recognition (voluntary): Minimum of 100 service hours documented by mid-September of student's Senior year. Reflection required by Career Center.
• President's Award: (PAHS is a certifying organization, sponsored by the Corporation for National & Community Service): Minimum 0f 100 service hours documented in 12 calendar months. 2 Award ceremonies, with over 200 student recipients each school year. Paly application deadlines, first Friday (school day) in October; first Friday (school day) in April. Written 1-2 page reflection required by Career Center.

Read some of our student's past reflections on service in Get Involved, Paly. Thanks to a generous grant from the Palo Alto Community Fund, the next edition is in the works.

3,150 Hours of Service and Counting

Each summer in Palo Alto and throughout the school year, hundreds and hundreds of high school students from every grade descend upon the community to offer their volunteer assistance as part of the Living Skills course. The class is a graduation requirement and somewhere along the way, community service entered the curriculum as a means for our students to make connections and to pursue their interests by giving of their time in areas such as:

• Humanitarianism
  
• Health and Safety
• Animals and Environment
• Education
• Seniors and Disabled
• Food and Shelter
• Civic Engagement
• Sports
• General Community-Building

During the past three weeks I've worked with my twenty-nine Living Skills students to help facilitate meaningful projects that go beyond simply checking off the boxes and filling the time sheet. It was quite an adventure for some to realize the deadline to complete their service is now the last day of the three-week class. In the Summer School sign-ups, they are told they can start volunteering before the class begins but who reads the fine print these days? Some of my students were a little panicky during the first week of class but thanks to Linda Yeung, a dedicated Paly College and Career Center volunteer, we offer a comprehensive calendar of vetted local events with nonprofit organizations and community agencies at http://paly.net/service/calendarOfOpportunities.php.

It was incredibly rewarding to watch my students first focus on their sense of purpose in life, through some of the studies of Dr. William Damon of Stanford University (The Path to Purpose, 2008). Next, they considered their interests and talents. With that in mind, they pursued the most appealing "matched" opportunities they could find within the time restraint. One student who is interested in the environment emailed me on the eve of the Fourth of July, earnestly hoping to fill his hours on the holiday with the deadline looming. Luckily, a few days before, the organizers of the Palo Alto Chili Cook-Off at Mitchell Park had sent out a volunteer request to help keep the grounds clean and free of debris. It was a stretch, but with one email introduction the student was able to make a difference by keeping the park clean during the event.

My class, I'm proud to say, were all able to fulfill the 15-hour community service requirement in their areas of interest. The reflections they wrote show the positive impact of this unique course requirement in Palo Alto Unified School District, helping our students find meaning and purpose in their lives. Since the "Get Involved" publication recently won a grant from the Palo Alto Community Fund, we will be able to include many of the PAUSD Summer School students' reflections in the Fall publication. Watch for it online at Paly.net/service.

By contributing a small amount of time to the surrounding community, our first session of summer school students have given over 3,150 hours of service in the past month or two. If they were each to be paid minimum wage for their time, this would be a $25,200 grant to the community on their behalf. That's the power of students who give back. I'm proud to work in a place where youth are seen as a valued community resource, and where they are willing to share their diverse talents and interests to make the world a better place!

Community agencies that benefited from my 29 students serving in the first session of PAUSD Summer School:

• Acterra
• Save the Bay
• Lytton Gardens
• Kwong Wah Church Kitchen
• YMCA
• Shady Shakespeare at Sanborn Park
• Red White and Blue Parade
• Lion's Club Car Show
• Circle of Friends Preschool
• Lucile Packard Foundation Summer Scamper
• Resource Area for Teachers/RAFT
• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Me to We Humanitarian Mission
• Mid-Peninsula Open Space
• Humane Society/SPCA
• Channing House
• Stanford Soccer Club
• AYSO
• St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room

Joseph Biden Honors Students Who Serve

A you a true agent for social change? Would you do something good if no one was looking? Watch Vice President Joseph Biden's inspirational address to Parade Magazine's first All America Service Team Award winners at the White House on June 23, 2010.

http://www.parade.com/news/all-america/2010/0623-vice-president-joseph-biden-honors-all-america-service-team.html

Nominate a Student for the All America High School Service Team!

"It's about doing the right thing."

PARADE Magazine and generationOn, the global youth division of Points of Light Institute, are seeking nominations for The All-America High School Service Team, to recognize high school students who have made exemplary contributions in the service areas of: health, education, environment, economics or community. These students show service as a solution to solve community problems and the power of stories to inspire others to action.

The top 50 finalists, 10 per issue category, will receive certificates. The top 15 (3 per issue category), will receive a two-day paid trip to Washington, D.C. to receive their award and special recognition.

Deadline ends May 30. For more information on how to submit nominations, visit Parade.com:
http://www.parade.com/service

Cesar Chavez Day of Service

What a day we had, celebrating the core values of Cesar Chavez on his birthday, March 31st. After a stirring message from Karthik Prasad, a Fellow from Stanford University Haas Center for Public Service, a diverse group of 120 Paly students contributed 7200 hours in service-learning around Palo Alto and beyond. They chose from seven organizations based on their interests and the values of Cesar Chavez: Milpitas Food Pantry; Magic, Inc. at Stanford Dish; Half Moon Bay Restoration; Lytton Gardens Senior Community; Creative Montessori Preschool; InnVision; and Ecumenical Hunger Program. My daughter Grace and her best friend signed up for Ecumenical Hunger Program, but I was needed at Milpitas Food Pantry.

Once we got the four buses loaded, we headed to East Palo Alto for two of the sites, then to Milpitas with my group. Of course, the exciting part of community service is that you never know what you may be asked to do. Karen Kolander, the director and one-woman-show thanked us for coming and informed us that our group of nineteen working four hours each, represented seventy-six man-hours--a feat she could never accomplish alone. She assigned us the task of emptying the storage closet and the storage unit of all donations made since the holidays and check each package or can for a valid expiration date. If a can was badly damaged or expired, we tossed it. The "would-I-eat-this" test was also applied, with permission to throw out rusty or aging cans with no dates. It is astounding to see how many food donations are inedible. At the food pantry, and earlier in the month at a food donation bin, I noticed someone's discarded "specialty diet food." Of course, if you wouldn't eat that yourself, why would a needy or homeless person find it appetizing?

Our students stayed focused on the job at hand, and I worked to keep them busy. There's nothing worse than a bored volunteer. When some students were standing around, I found a job inside sorting shelves in the "share area," where recently-expired foods and household goods can be taken, two per client. By the time the students were finished with that part of the project, the shelves looked as good as a Mom and Pop grocery store. Lots of organizational talent was contributed that day at the food pantry. My only regret was that I couldn't be in two places at once. Grace and her group ran out of things to do at the Ecumenical Hunger site. The overworked director wasn't quite the drill sergeant that Karen was at the food pantry, and they didn't have a parent ordering them around. Maybe next time, they kids will be bold enough take the initiative and find extra ways to fill the time and make a difference. As Karen said, "I'm the only paid employee for this facility, except for the janitor who works a few hours a week. I could never do it without dedicated volunteers." One of her regular volunteers even brought a platter of freshly cooked Afghan food while we were there, "For everyone to share," he beamed. Volunteering with kindhearted people is just one of the perks of giving back to the community!

Core Values of Cesar Chavez:
www.cesarechavezfoundation.org/.../Core_Values_with_Service_Project_Ideas.pdf

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Five Dollar Service

What can I say? Some days are just crummy. One of our speakers for my Career Speaker event at school got confused about the time, so I had to tell 95 waiting students that she would be back next week. I wondered if this would keep happening for our three-week event, and was I simply trying to juggle too much? I had rushed to chaperon a field trip just before that, and then I worked in a classroom that did not have enough books for an open-book test. I couldn't seem to overcome the hurdles and by late afternoon I was feeling rather down.Thursday was not my favorite day.

As I waded through the 280 traffic toward home, I wondered how I could pull myself out of an emotional tailspin. Go on a run? No energy. Go shopping? No time or extra cash. Eat chocolate? Maybe. Grace was at her internship, and Bob's kids were away for the evening. I had one appointment on the way home, then I would take an hour for myself--maybe even to consume chocolate. As I pulled up to the stoplight at Bollinger Road, I noticed a man with a cardboard "please help" sign in the median. I've seen lots of people holding signs, but never in that location just across from Wendy's hamburgers. From inside my comfortable car, still feeling a little sorry for myself and dwelling on the losses of the day, I wondered what humiliation the weathered man had been through to make a cardboard sign and sit in the median asking for donations? Had he brought it on himself? Then I snapped back into pity mode, "A frosty from Wendy's sounds really good to me, maybe just the chocolate treat I need after this undesirable day." Of course, I deserved it after all I had suffered, right?

The light seemed to take longer to turn green for the moment, and I started to get irritated that this man was affecting me and my need to consume a treat to feel better after a bad day. I looked in my coin purse--usually nearly empty--and saw two five-dollar bills. The impulse surged and just as the light turned, I pushed the button to roll down the window and handed the homeless man one of the fives. He actually started to cry, "Thank you, I love you!" he said. Then he walked across the street to Wendy's. As if I had taken a magic happy pill, the misery of Thursday's failures completely left me. I didn't worry or care about what the man would do with the five dollars, for it was worth five hundred dollars for me to erase the sad feeling I had within myself. Who knew a down day could be cured by such a simple gesture! Next time you see me or a friend stressed or a little bedraggled by the blows of the day, feel free to remind us that we don't need to consume a thing. Often, giving a little something away is all it takes to feel good.

A Saturday of Service

Just a few years ago, my entire world fell apart--or so I thought. My passions were family, and hardcore snow-skiing. I even found a way to make a little money teaching the love of skiing to provide more of it for my family. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, I had to trade in the ski passion for something else. I had always enjoyed planning community events and benefits, so the master of nonprofit administration program at University of San Francisco provided a switch in gears, big time. Moving from the Salt Lake Valley, back to the Bay Area where I grew up, I could no longer drive six short miles up a winding canyon road with my kids on a Saturday to ski and board fresh powder. This week I had the itch to ski! I had been lucky enough to teach for nine years, maybe to get it out of my system a little. That's what I reminded myself this morning when I woke up too far away from the slopes, and too tired anyway to do much about that.

The only exertion activity today would be a long bike ride through Stevens Canyon. At the beginning of the ride I stopped by Safeway to see Bob and his two boys manning the Second Harvest Food Bank drive. They had been handing out little cards to shoppers who would hopefully remember to grab some extra groceries as they went through the store and then drop them into the barrels out front. When I arrived, their barrel was two-thirds full after a two hour shift. "Not bad," I thought. As I watched the next shift of volunteers hand out cards I wondered why people gave fifteen-year-old Sam such a chilly reception. I hoped he would have more success to feel a sense of purpose with his Saturday service. Second Harvest is always in need of volunteers to do food drives. The little cards they provide make it so easy to give to customers as they walk into the grocery store. There is a checklist requesting stew, chili, soup, peanut butter, low-sugar cereal, fruit juices, canned fruits and veggies. Nobody can deny the slogan on the card, "Nothing else matters when you're hungry. Give what matters." I hope the shoppers loosened up a bit and filled the barrels this afternoon, making young volunteers like Logan, Cameron, Nathan, Brandon, and Sam feel like they made a difference.

After checking out the boys' progress on the food bank drive, I continued on my way to Steven's Canyon. As I pedaled toward the foothills I noticed some high school aged students with industrial size boxes and a bunch of cars lined up at Monta Vista High School. Of course, I had to check it out! I found out these community service and leadership students (including Benjamin and Aditi, with whom I spoke) were hosting an e-waste recycling event, sponsored by Green Mouse Recycling. They had taken flyers around the community asking people to bring their old computers, cell phones, car batteries and electronics to the pallets at school today. The recycling company would pick up the waste and pay the student volunteers for a percentage of the value, which they in turn could use for another community benefit. Last year, they used the $1000 donation to improve overall recycling efforts on campus. Our school has two groups that work to promote environmental awareness, and we have a Goodwill truck parked in our lot trying to gather e-waste. Perhaps Paly could give it try sometime. The Monta Vista students and the owner of Green Mouse were running around organizing donations, while they told me that nearby Los Altos High School was also hosting a similar event today--with 200 cars lined up! There is so much more going on around here in my hometown than I could have imagined, had I remained looking from my limited view at the slopes of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Finding all of the service that goes on in my community is like a treasure hunt every day. Of course, I can never get the itch to ski completely out of my system, but the excitement of finding more and more good works comes pretty close when there's no snow in sight.

The bike ride would have to provide enough exercise-based endorphins for me this weekend, so maybe I could take the turns really tight and it would feel like the arcs of my skis. As I wound through the hills between Garrod Stables and Congress Springs Park, staying ahead of an older gentleman close behind I noticed a man and woman riding together at a relaxed pace. I didn't want to slow down to stay behind them--this needed to feel like hardcore skiing so I was going to push myself. As I wound through a few more turns and got closer I could see the man had a prosthetic leg, and they both wore "Team in Training" shirts for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They were on a training ride for a fundraising event--more community service today! My job as observer sometimes reminds me I could do more good works instead of whining that I can't go skiing enough on Saturdays. As I thought about the man with a missing leg riding some tough hills to benefit leukemia patients, a dozen students gathering green waste to benefit the environment, and the teenage boys collecting food bank donations I realized there is more to life than skiing on a sunny March weekend. The world has need of more people who spend an occasional Saturday doing community service and good works.

My Dad, Dr. King, and a Day of Service

I grew up in the sixties and seventies here in the culturally rich region of Northern California, the Bay Area. When he was a teen, my dad couldn't wait to get out of Spencer, Iowa and after graduating from college he took the opportunity in 1957 to serve as a pilot at the Alameda Naval Base. Possibly there was a connection between the next-door Iowa county "Palo Alto," and his decision to settle in the extremely diverse community of Palo Alto, California. Even in those early years, this was a melting pot. For once in his life, my dad "fit right in." Northern Iowa was not the kind of place where a black-haired, blue-eyed, exotic-looking man could exactly blend into the community. Most were of German or Scandinavian descent, so Carl had to charm them with his intelligence and affability.

Sadly, my dad passed away unexpectedly from injuries sustained in a Memorial Day water-skiing accident just before my eleventh birthday. However, his star shone brightly and left indelible impressions on my soul about acceptance, fairness, and a sense of community. The town of Spencer, Iowa was a safe place for him but he longed to know other cultures and ethnicity; he longed to find his own. Being the strong personality that he was, I learned some important lessons from Carl at a young age. I'll never forget the day I learned that racial discrimination was inhumane. He had taken a few of us kids, including my neighborhood friend, to McDonald's on Blossom Hill Road for lunch, it must have been a Saturday. I remember ordering my favorite: hamburger, fries, and chocolate shake. (I'm convinced they tasted better in 1969!) A few of us sat in the rear-facing back seat on the way home, munching our burgers and slurping our shakes. As a few people with warm brown skin walked down the sidewalk, someone from inside the car--selective memory prevents exact recollection--yelled out the now nearly-extinct racial slur for no apparent reason other than to harass the walkers. It didn't sound right to me, but as a painfully shy girl I giggled anyway at her brazenness.

My most vivid memory of my father is attributed to what came next...His slamming on the brakes of the station wagon, followed by flinging out of the driver's seat and to the back of the car and the open rear window. His towering, six-foot-four stature glared into our wide-eyed faces as he made it perfectly clear that we were out of line, "Don't you EVER say that word again, DO YOU HEAR ME?????" Then he called across to the couple walking and apologized for his naive children. Dad did not speak the rest of the way home down Almaden Expressway, and neither did we. I don't think I finished my chocolate shake, nor do I remember liking them nearly as much after that incident. But I do remember the message from Carl that day, and the message of acceptance that he continued to live throughout his short 39 years: We are all acceptable, none is better than another.

Dad came from a homogeneous little mid-western community where he tried to fit in, and later when he arrived in the town I now call home he was determined to make others feel the acceptance he always craved as a child and teenager. I wish I could ask him how Dr. Martin Luther King affected him in those years, I have a hunch it was profound. In reading about Dr. King I see his timely themes of social justice woven into the empowerment of all races in America; this is evolving into present-day interpretation of contributing community service as a means to promote social equality and to celebrate his life. I can think of no better way to honor Dr. King, and Carl Steffens, than to give back to my community and to my fellow man on this relatively new national holiday. Thank you Dr. King for the legacy, and thank you Carl Steffens for making your unquestionable statement of racial equality to a bunch of ignorant little kids who didn't know any better until you set us straight!

Want to give back to honor Dr. King? This will inspire you:

Idealist Blog Post, Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day on, not a day off. http://www.idealist.org/blog/en/honoring-martin-luther-king-jr-with-a-day-on-not-a-day-off/

These are yearly events:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Week of Service: http://www.handsonbayarea.org/AboutUs/index.php/specialevents/MLK.htmlSign-up for a Community Service Project - The Palo Alto Jewish Community Center is organizing a day of service, with more than 25 local volunteer opportunities, ranging from habitat restoration, making cat toys and dog biscuits for homeless pets, visiting senior citizens, serving meals at a shelter, working on crafts for hospitalized children and helping with the creation of a library in Botswana. Details: www.paloaltojcc.org/mitzvah Info: www.CityofPaloAlto.org/dayofservice
Community Service on Lytton Plaza - The City of Palo Alto in collaboration with Youth Community Service (YCS) will provide opportunities to donate food and clothing and to participate in a volunteer project on Lytton Plaza. Bring the whole family between noon and 3pm. There will be music and fun for all - and more importantly, this will be a chance to do something to help others.

Students Do Make a Difference by Volunteering!

Students at Palo Alto High School documented more than 17,000 volunteer hours this semester with the President's Award for Volunteer Service! There were 129 recipients Fall semester, with another 75-100 applicants who will receive their award in the Spring. The best part about my job is observing these young people who find their passion through volunteering and community service, contributing their talents and energy with no remuneration to make the world a better place.

Community service and service-learning are important aspects of a balanced education, and it makes you feel good along the way. Find something you really care about, and devote some energy to that by volunteering. Check out the groundbreaking Do Something College Survey, showing the nation's leading colleges look for students who are engaged, who show leadership qualities and creativity in community service--not just students who rack up hours for "credit".

Go to: http://www.dosomething.org/college-survey-download

Then read this article from Leif Erickson, of Palo Alto's Youth Community Service. We ALL agree that student-driven, interest-based community service is the way to go.

Click on:

Palo Alto Online Palo Alto Weekly: Guest Opinion: Service to others — gateway to youth well-being (September 24, 2010)

23 Volunteers and Counting

October was another jam-packed month at Palo Alto High School. Finally I came to terms with the truth that the older I get, the less I am able to juggle and the sooner I run out of energy; it was time to sincerely ask for help. The volunteer coordinators at our College and Career Center graciously agreed to issue a plea at the Fall training meeting to see if a few parents would be willing to help with our "Get Involved" student community service program and our "Excellence" Career Month Speaker Series. I made a simple breakdown of tasks and took names and numbers at the back of the room. Thirteen asked to help with community service, and another five with Career Month. Combined with last year's returning volunteers, that brought my team to twenty-three active and engaged parents who were willing to take on the school year's activities.

After working at such a manic pace last year, I hesitated to even get started with these willing souls, but just over a month later I could attest that volunteers are some of the most productive and capable people around. It doesn't hurt that we are in the heart of Silicon Valley and across the street from Stanford University--there is an aspect talent and education here. But I have seen the same mentality in Salt Lake City, Utah where I was one of 23,000 registered Winter Olympics volunteers in 2002. No matter what the occasion, give a volunteer his or her choice of jobs and they will astound you. We divided up the workload into categories: events, marketing, bookkeeping, database management. When volunteers sign up for jobs they enjoy, their contributions are high-quality and far beyond minimum expectations. I've learned over the years not to ask a meticulous person to manage the big picture or an entire event, and vice versa. We are all happiest when doing what we enjoy, where we have an aptitude and some level of interest.

This is the concept we are trying to instill in our students in the service-learning program at Paly. When you take on a project, volunteer in a specific area where you are actually interested; don't just show up to get credit for time served. Interest-specific volunteering produces meaningful, high-quality results for both the volunteer and the organization served. This can lead to increased self-esteem, finding a sense of purpose in one's work, and discovering or exploring talents and passions. The Do Something survey (http://www.dosomething.org/college-survey) substantiates the fact that high school students are better off developing creative projects on their own, or dedicating their service to just one meaningful cause, than various disjointed projects with no personal relevance to the volunteer.

With parents devoting their energy in their personal areas of strength to benefit students, I hope our young people will be similarly inspired to give of their time in a way that adds purpose and meaning to their lives. We are all better assets to the community when we get involved in projects that inspire personal growth. I am thankful for twenty-three volunteers and counting!

Volunteering Opportunities Pay Off

There's a benefit to doing good. In the New Year some of us; young, old, and young-at-heart, are trying to navigate the job market. Take some advice about getting involved to make a difference by Debra Donston-Miller, who wrote this article for The Ladders: Volunteering Opportunities Pay Off.

What's Right with Today's Teenagers?

I remember having so much pent up energy when I was fourteen years old. My mother and my own children don't know this, but I got in trouble almost every week in Sunday School due to fidgety hands and influencing my newfound mischievous friend Michelle Clawson to distract the teacher with our hand games and abbreviated cheerleading moves. We couldn't contain ourselves, and the extra attention from the frazzled teacher was fodder for our expressions of dexterity. We progressed from the Sunday School teacher to the youth leaders as they tried to corral us into performing as Hukilau dancers in a musical extravaganza meant to unify the congregation. We would last on stage just long enough for the dance, and the rest of the time we would practice more cheerleading moves (this time with full-body effect), chase younger boys or harass the other girls who were going along with the program.

I don't know why I behaved this way in ninth grade. I had been painfully shy all my life--the teachers even said so on my elementary school report cards. In the first two years of middle school I only focused on being a perfect, straight A student. Ninth grade was the first and only year I got a B+, it was time to get my wiggles out. Luckily, the adults around me stayed positive, especially my mom. My father had passed away unexpectedly three years earlier, and my sisters were headed off to college; my brother had started to find his own friends. By junior year, we moved again and I was feeling quite alone. Changing high schools was sobering for an energetic girl who had finally come out of her shell. I had to reinvent myself again, this time finding connections through community service. Volunteering with other girls my age at El Camino Hospital gave me confidence, even though it was only once a week. Returning to school the next day I wouldn't worry so much if I sat alone or with too few friends in the quad at lunch; I knew I was needed someplace else, just a few miles away at the same hospital where I was born and where my father died.

I didn't realize the healing effect of my "candy striper" experience until last fall when I was training for a long cycling event and I rode past El Camino Hospital countless times on my way to the foothills of Los Altos. I could hear Mom's encouragement to go ahead and sign up as a volunteer: "I used to be a 'pink lady' [adults in the auxiliary], you should try it." Until recently, I still had the candy striper uniform in my memory chest, with the name tag pinned to it. That time in high school was the beginning of my realization that we are never alone, even when times are bleak; reaching out to others in need can make us forget our troubles, even if for only two hours a week. Sometimes that's enough.

These days, as I observe the good works around me, I am astounded by the energy and intelligence of the youth at Palo Alto High School. Three decades ago, at nearby Homestead, I knew of only a handful of students who did volunteer work, and just two or three clubs on campus that sought to make an impact through service. This generation is different; they are motivated to change the world in creative and thoughtful ways, whether individually or in their club activities. Some have accumulated over four hundred hours of community service, with activities like raising guide dogs, taking care of cancer patients, or producing shows for the community Media Center. Others have traveled to far away places over the summer: Afghanistan to build schools, Sri Lanka to help women in poverty, and Japan to coach young soccer players. Most of these students are pursuing their interests, not merely racking up hours for credit; all are learning about other's needs and forgetting their own.

Teens who volunteer have the same challenges as the rest of us, but they are empowered to solve problems and to remain flexible when encountering the vast array of unfulfilled needs beyond the world of high school. How can a student truly understand the devastation of Hurricane Katrina without actually visiting the region and realizing that his own efforts can encourage others his age to help? That was the inspiration for Jake, who went on to start "American Disaster Relief," a Paly club that looks and sounds more like a national humanitarian organization. With Jake's intelligence and ability to rally his friends, maybe someday it will become such.

Some students track their hours for credit on their transcripts, or to earn the President's Award for Community Service; the most passionate students I know, however, have no idea how much time they've spent. The idea of an award embarrasses them, but I wish they could be convinced. With the help of a parent volunteer and her son, Paly student Charles Zhang, we've been able to organize and track the community service hours of several hundred Paly students who applied for the President's Award during the last two years. This semester at Palo Alto High School, eighty-two students received the bronze award for 100-174 hours of service, fourteen received silver for 175-249 hours, and twenty-six earned gold for 250 or more hours (14-year-olds and younger get gold for 100 hours). At California's current $8.00 minimum wage, these students would have generated a base of $143,261 in labor alone. This is what's right with our teens today; maybe they don't worry about tomorrow as much as the baby boomers, but they do make the world a better place by sharing their time and talents freely in the community. They put their energy into making a difference.

Good to the Core

Several years ago, when my life was topsy-turvy every which way I counseled many times with my mother, the sage, who reminded me that the most important thing in life is to maintain our integrity at all costs. Sometimes I wonder if the price was too high, but I'm sure in the end my losses will make perfect sense. In the meantime, I continue to observe and study the ideas behind integrity and core values. These are the aspects of our character that will bring us through severe hardship and everyday challenges. Through my own personal journey, I've ended up working at a high school where there are ever-present opportunities to study human nature--all 1800 of our students. Through my work to coordinate the community service and volunteering activities, I have discovered a treasure trove of records where our students volunteered their time to the cause of their choice for no tangible reward.

Perhaps there are many public schools where altruism is prevalent, but I am lucky enough to be at this one special place. For the past three years, I have attempted to ascertain the motivations for these students to do good. The only common threads I have found relate to the diversity in Silicon Valley, and the prevailing sense of community in Palo Alto. These must have prompted the creation of two prominent signs which are posted in most of the classrooms. The first lists our core value statement:

"At Paly, everyone values and benefits from our collective effort to grow and to promote human potential. Guiding this effort is our belief in the following:"

• Promoting personal integrity and respect
• Providing a nurturing environment characterized by teamwork and collaboration
• Caring for and believing in every individual
• Encouraging creativity and independent thinking
• Understanding growth and learning are an essential part of life
• Acknowledging great effort and great fun in work and play

Similarly, the core purpose statement is articulated to reflect the values:

"The core purpose of our school is to affirm the potential of every Paly student in an environment of support and inspiration where people work together and lift each other toward great personal growth."

As the years pass and students from all walks of life come and go, I hope to be able to share glimpses of the creative ways in which these young people make a difference in their world. From organizing a blood drive for the local Red Cross, to disaster cleanup at Hurricane Katrina, and even to relief work in Bangladesh; these students know how to roll up their sleeves. It shows in their desire to improve the local, national, and international communities; it is apparent in the successful lives they pursue beyond the immediate world of high school.

The Power of ONE

Recently, Erika Ji, Jess Brooks and some very driven and talented Key Club members at our high school launched a fundraising campaign for the organization One Dollar for Life. This is a nonprofit specifically designed to give teenagers an outlet for giving, by making hundreds of small donations in their schools. Where most charitable organizations focus on large gifts to maximize efficiency, “ODFL” has targeted this population of young donors to give just one dollar at a time. Their website, www.odfl.org, lists such accomplishments as these among others:
• “Bought 2 milk cows for an orphanage in Kenya in Spring 2008”

• “Collected and sent 452 bikes to Africa in Spring 2008”
• “Constructed a new 3 room school in Nepal in Summer 2008”

Last week I noticed that most classrooms at the school now boast a small cardboard box with the ODFL logo to remind students that they each have the power to make a difference by contributing just ONE DOLLAR toward these worthy projects. I hope some will choose to contribute more; but if each and every student were to follow through with this request, over $1800 dollars could be raised in ONE MONTH very little sacrifice. The Salvation Army is another charity that relies on our small donations. During the last two holiday season’s I decided I would give a dollar each time I passed the kettle. I estimate the total spent was about twenty dollars; what would happen if everyone gave a little each time? That is the synergistic power of one: the combined total effort is greater than the sum of all parts. The power of one can accomplish good works in the world community.

The value of one also translates to incredible contributions of time. Working in a school environment, I have learned the value of ONE MINUTE: a thank-you email, a helpful post-it reminder to a colleague, a phone message picked up even though I feel too busy. When put into perspective, the good that I have witnessed our dozens of volunteers accomplish in ONE HOUR is far-reaching: copies made and distributed for a teacher, the secretary’s desk manned while she takes a lunch break, books organized and re-shelved at the library. Children, teenagers, and adults can all adopt this concept of one-hour volunteering. How much good can come of consistent charitable service for one hour, ONCE A WEEK for ONE YEAR? Fifty-two hours of positive energy is bound to have a lasting effect somewhere.

Another observation on this tiny little number is the sharing of ONE IDEA, an effort that takes minimal time and exertion. Plant a seed and someone with the necessary resources is bound to latch on. My friend Carolyn shared such an idea as we planned a collaborative humanitarian project with our church group last fall. Many years ago, she had worked on a team to produce painted canvas wall hangings for orphanages in under-devoloped countries. Another member of our group, Megan, was deeply touched by this concept and quickly took the reins. Not only did she design and execute the completion of five brightly painted and quilted wall hangings at our event; she has continued to work on ten more with friends and neighbors in her home over the last several months. She even brought them to the high school, where the Youth Community Service club joined her for a fun afternoon of painting these whimsical works of art.

If Carolyn hadn’t shared this ONE IDEA last fall, we would have all missed out on a chance to make a difference for children who have so little. If the school volunteers were not able to spare ONE HOUR during their week to help teachers and staff, we would never understand the caring and support that exists in our community. And if the students were unable to spare ONE DOLLAR to help the international causes sponsored by organizations such as One Dollar for Life, we would never fully comprehend the impact of our collective efforts. If we desire to leave the world a better place, we must never underestimate the power of one in our daily lives.

Interested in running a fundraising campaign in your school?
Check out this link for humanitarian projects at One Dollar for Life: http://www.odfl.org/

Search and Rescue Service: One Beloved Volunteer is Gone

Since I’m not much of a television watcher, I usually try to stay informed about popular shows from family, friends, and the press. Music is something I do thoroughly enjoy; I’ve even produced some benefit concerts with some of my favorite musicians. My oldest daughter and I stayed up late last night watching the ten finalists of “American Idol.” She had recorded it, so we blasted through the commercials and took the extra time to watch a few of the best performances twice. After watching the entire show for the first time, I now understand why it’s habit-forming. I fell asleep wondering who would end up winning the career of their dreams.

As I awoke this morning, the word “idol” was still on my mind. When I looked it up on the web I discovered two things: 1.) The show is also a popular format in several European countries, and 2.) The term itself can be defined as “someone who is adored blindly and excessively.” It is an empowering concept for an entire country and judges to choose the next pop idol. The emerging talents would never have been discovered without this method. As Sheridan suggested last night, “If you make it into the top ten, you’re set.”

There is also another kind of “top ten,” the people I like to write about. I can’t say I adore them blindly or excessively, but they inspire others around them. "American Idol" stars have instant name recognition in pop culture. The examples I’m thinking of today leave a more subtle yet long-lasting impression. I worked with one yesterday at the ski resort.

“Ray” is a man who spends his day making others laugh and reminding us to take life a little less seriously. He can find humor in every situation, and he doesn’t belittle or tease. With no personal reward, he genuinely goes out of his way to make people more comfortable. He made my day brighter by offering extra help as I wrangled a group of small children on the “green” ski runs in a snowstorm. He had ski wax when I needed it, gave me an update on trail conditions, cleaned off the kids’ plates at lunch, shuttled a child with her skis from my group to the next, and slipped the “Miner’s Camp” obstacle course for a smoother ride. Who knows how many other little works Ray did yesterday; these were just the ones that affected me personally. His happiness seems to derive from these small acts, so if polled I’m sure the other instructors would have similar stories. His joyful demeanor permeates the mountain school, and leaves us with a desire to be kinder to each other and to our guests.

Thankfully, there are many people like Ray on this earth for the rest of us to admire and aspire. One of the best lifetime performances in this “top ten” realm, however, was taken too soon. Darren Westerfield was a man whom I knew through his “Young Professionals” post-construction cleaning business; I also knew him as an athletic trainer at the gym where we both belonged and through mutual friends. Darren not only touched lives through his presence, he also volunteered hundreds of hours to his local Search and Rescue program.

Just like Ray, Darren was a light. Every time I saw him or talked to him, he was full of joy and enthusiasm. It didn’t matter what he was doing, he put his heart and soul into each day. He never seemed to be bogged down with the pressures of life. His positive attitude and energy intrigued me as I wondered, “Why so happy all the time, Darren? Don’t you know how hard life is?” Darren’s life was just as difficult as anyone’s. The hardest trial he faced was his first wife Cindy’s battle with ovarian cancer, to which she succumbed in 2003. Darren courageously pulled his three children together and they kept the faith. He later married a lady who was just as bubbly—what a pair.

Darren set an example of joyous living, serving others with a smile, and making anyone in his midst feel comfortable and accepted. He died at age 47, along with his stepson and stepdaughter, in a horrific rollover accident this past summer (2008). A Google search describes the sad details, but Darren’s wish would be to look beyond the tragedy and to share his generosity of spirit. He truly left an impression everywhere he went. I’m sure he wouldn’t ask to be included in my “top ten” list of positive influences for good, but his happiness is unforgettable.

While the talented stars of “American Idol” may become the “objects of blind, obsessive attraction” and on the brink of fame and fortune, Ray and Darren prove there are still people who want to do good for no tangible reward. Ray sows the seeds of happiness each day with his kind acts and smiles. Darren shared his kind heart and spirit to leave a legacy of love and inclusion. I know who might win the “American Idol” contest this time around (guesses, anyone?); the real winners, the long-term beneficiaries, are any of us who have been blessed to know “Ray” or Darren.

Link to Search & Rescue Volunteering in Salt Lake City, UT: http://www.alittletime.org/content/sar_f.cfm

For Search & Rescue Volunteering in other locations: Contact your local county's website, or the sheriff's department.

Wonder Girl's Secret

The "volunteer extraordinaire," mentioned in an earlier post, still hadn't figured out that she was the example being discussed until I surprised her this week. She possesses the typical trait of a dedicated volunteer: humility. Because I studied the motivators and behaviors of volunteers for a master's thesis, I'm always impressed by the infinite hours of unpaid labor that improve the projects I've worked on. Many have involved school activities, and others have been related to different children's causes. The benefits of volunteering can be garnered in any genre, from education, to animals, health care, or the environment. Those who take advice from volunteers such as Wonder Girl can make a difference.

What motivates us to become involved in a cause outside of home or work, where there is no direct personal benefit? Data from a recent study suggests such intangibles as these:

1. A sense of belonging to a larger entity
2. A desire to affiliate with like-minded individuals
3. Improved self-esteem
4. Making friends

H. Bussell & D. Forbes (2002, August), Understanding the volunteer market: the what, where, who and why of volunteering. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 7(3), 238-244.

Even though at first glance volunteers might seem to be those who have extra time on their hands, the most passionate volunteers are usually the busiest people in other areas of life as well. The desire and opportunity to do good provides a sense of accomplishment not found in their salaried jobs. Wonder Girl is typical of many committed volunteers in that she has a very advanced degree in a highly specialized field. (Remember, I can't give away her identity!) The ability to participate on a volunteer project provides an additional creative outlet not found at home or work; there is usually more camaraderie and collaboration involved in these efforts. When questioned recently, this "volunteer extraordinaire" shared the personal benefits she has gained from doing good:

1. Working with other adults in a professional setting
2. Meeting people and making friends
3. Improvement of interpersonal skills.
   

Given all of the rewards of volunteering, it's impossible to imagine why anyone wouldn't want to give it a try. This is a hurried and complicated world, but volunteering helps us to slow down and remember what is truly important. The great thing about unpaid labor is that you can sign up for as much or as little as you want; but watch out, the happiness derived from volunteering is highly addictive, as Wonder Girl and others can attest!

Teamwork

While I was watching some high school students play volleyball last week, I noticed that they were having the most difficulty calling out to each other who had the ball. Some would look up in anticipation rather than around to see who was there to help. They acted as if they thought the game was entirely up to them, while others assumed one of their teammates would handle the situation so they stood there waiting. Those who had the best teamwork, and calling out who had the ball, were the winners sometimes even regardless of talent levels. Luckily for me, I've had a great group to work with during these last two weeks, so we were able to pull off our career speaker event for all of the students. Last Tuesday, however, even some from my "team-at-large" stepped into last-minute action.

I realized Monday night at 9:00 p.m., while double-checking with the dancer coming to speak, that I had scheduled her and the attorney's presentations using the same LCD projector at the same time in different rooms. Our department only owns one projector. I tried to see if one of them might be able to speak without using their visual aids, but that hardly seemed fair after they both spent time preparing. Of course, I couldn't sleep that night as my brain worked over this dilemma like a math puzzle. I tried to think of people from whom I could borrow at work, even around the neighborhood. I was very upset with myself at this oversight. The next morning, as soon as I walked into my office I called two technology people and left messages to see if they knew of any extra equipment. As the start time for our presentation approached I had given up the idea of having two projectors, and one of the speakers would have to go without. It was then that the drama teacher offered one she had tucked away in a closet. Then, as the ballerina and the attorney both arrived, they informed me that each had brought their own projector just in case we needed it. They both wondered why I laughed so joyously at the sight of their LCDs. Minutes after the speakers' good news, the two IT people I had contacted earlier were on the phone asking how they could help. The problem was solved.

Sometimes we need to consciously remind ourselves that we are not alone. Monday night, I felt very isolated in my angst, beating myself up over a simple mistake. I had to force myself to go to bed with no closure. By Tuesday morning, the projector issue was no longer apparent simply because of five conscientious people (count them: 1 teacher, 1 ballerina, 1 attorney, and 2 IT experts). In the broader sense of the word "team," anyone involved in a collaborative effort can make a difference if they care, and if we are willing to ask them for help. There is no guarantee they'll say "yes," or that they will have what we're hoping for (ex: a random LCD projector lying around), but it's important to recognize the potential impact of others when we work together.

It has taken me a lifetime to learn to accept my many weaknesses and ask for help when needed. I had no idea what I was missing by not enlisting help from others on the team. As I watched the teenagers play volleyball again today, I felt sorry for the players who were running around the court trying to bump, set, and spike alone. It was more fun for those who had figured out the game and knew when to call the ball, when to ask for help, and when to save a score. I'm not sure who gets the credit for saving our PowerPoint presentations the other day; I suppose I owe thanks to the entire team for simply being aware of the game going on around them and recognizing a need.

Three Elements of Teamwork for Volleyball, PowerPoint Presentations, and Life

• Unselfishness: putting others above one's self, generous (ex: letting the other person have the ball, thinking what the other person might need)
• Dedication: wholehearted devotion (ex: being in the game, staying engaged)
  
• Awareness: vigilance, attentiveness (ex: watching out for other player's needs, offering assistance)