Amazing Student Volunteers 2011

A special publication of

Congratulations

Caitlin Rigsby $1,000 scholarship winner Caitlin brought the Reynoldsburg community together to spread the word about breast cancer.

$500 scholarships Glen Gainer has logged more than 500 volunteer hours at the Westerville library.

Holly Klepek raises money for the battle against juvenile diabetes.

Thursday, May 19, and Sunday, May 22, 2011

Visit ThisWeekNews.com/Volunteers to read about student volunteers all year!

Proud to support Amazing Volunteering: good for kids, Students in our hometown Amazing students

greater for central Ohio Across the nation, kids are hungry for opportunities to transform their communities. Whether through their schools, church group, sports team or other activity, students are an integral part of changing their communities for the better.

HandsOn Central Ohio is a key component to engaging and energizing this cultural movement of students who are so willing to give.

At HandsOn Central Ohio, we believe that kids are empowered by their contribution to the world around them and that service is a natural way for young people to assert their positive qualities.

By serving others, kids develop compassion and establish connections with people of diverse cultures and economic situations. Volunteering helps kids develop positive self-esteem and learn valuable life lessons.

Youth volunteering: • Promotes a healthy lifestyle and positive choices: Kids who volunteer are less likely to become involved in at-risk behaviors.

• Enhances emotional development: Volunteering heightens psychological, social and intellectual development and growth.

• Teaches life skills: Volunteering stimulates skills needed for a productive adulthood, including responsibility for tasks.

Kids learn punctuality, cooperation, tolerance, problem solving and teamwork.

• Improves the community: Kids have the opportunity to be resources and contributors to their communities.

• Encourages a lifelong service ethic: Kids who volunteer early learn the importance of service and have a higher chance of continuing to volunteer later in life.

At HandsOn Central Ohio, we provide a host of ways youth can become involved in the community. Check out some of these resources to find opportunities to volunteer with your kids in the community: • HandsOn Central Ohio project cal-

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endar: Visit the HandsOn Central Ohio project calendar at www.HandsOnCentralOhio.org by clicking the Volunteer Now button on the homepage to search by date MARILEE and register to volunCHINNICIteer for a project onZUERCHER line. The monthly project calendar offers a convenient, accessible way to search a diverse set of projects that fit any student’s interest, skills and schedule so that the student can become engaged in their community.

• generationOn: Go to generationOn.org for project ideas for kids, teens and parents and service-learning curricula for teachers. generationOn is the newly created youth-services division of Points of Light Institute, an organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world.

You also could find some great projects to do with your children by visiting www.FamilyCares.org, or you could participate as a family on Family Volunteer Day. Whether it’s transforming a playground into a play space for children, demonstrating science experiments at COSI or helping with the animals at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, kids have plenty of ways and tools needed to get hands-on experience in the central Ohio community. Many nonprofit organizations offer volunteer programs specifically designed for youth.

Get out, volunteer and make a difference. You’ll be glad you did.

Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher is CEO and president of HandsOn Central Ohio.

HandsOn Central Ohio’s mission is to inspire, equip and mobilize people to create meaningful change in their lives and in their community.

With one call to Stanley Steemer, you can keep the floor you walk on and the air you breathe cleaner.

Call today for our central Ohio Specials!

(614) 875-7500

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May 19, 2011 | Amazing Student Volunteers

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$1,000 grand-prize winner

Rigsby’s perseverance brought community together

By DAVID S. OWEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Reynoldsburg High School senior Caitlin Rigsby has won the $1,000 grand prize in the Amazing Student Volunteers scholarship contest presented by ThisWeek Community Media and Columbus State Community College.

The scholarship was designed to showcase volunteer efforts of youth in central Ohio and recognize the extraordinary volunteer efforts of children throughout the region, according to ThisWeek general manager Stephen Zonars.

“So often in meetings with community leaders and business people, someone will mention a student who has done something out of the ordinary in our community,” Zonars said.

“I mentioned that fact to the ThisWeek staff, and they thought we should do something special to recognize these young men and women,” he said.

Rigsby, daughter of Steve and Paula Rigsby, is president of the National Honor Society at the high school and said she began last summer, thinking of ideas for volunteer projects.

“I thought, ‘How can I get more clubs involved instead of just the National Honor Society?’ And that’s when I came up with Raiders Go Pink for breast-cancer research,” Rigsby said. “This is the first one I’ve

Caitlin Rigsby

www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

By Tim Revell/ThisWeek

The Reynoldsburg student section was decked in pink for the Raiders’ game against Pickerington High School Central in late October. The donations and proceeds benefited breast-cancer research.

done for like a research cause, where you actually raise tons of money, get sponsors in the community and get a lot of backup for the project.”

Rigsby said she soon had begun receiving commitments from the high school’s Leo Club, DECA and ski club to launch the Raiders Go Pink campaign.

After receiving several sponsorships from the community, Rigsby said, students raised enough money to purchase “Raiders Go Pink” Tshirts to be sold at the school and to the community for $7 each.

Students raised about $6,500, which was donated to the Stefanie Spielman Fund for breast cancer research.

Although she began the Raiders Go Pink project herself, Rigsby said, senior Evan Holliman, president of the Leo Club, came on board early and helped her get it going.

Giving back, getting involved and spreading the effort across the community was her goal, she said.

“I felt like this was my chance to get involved in a different way, where I got more than just club members involved or football players involved,” she said. “I mean we got everyone on the bandwagon. It was

was a good one.

After graduation in June, she plans to attend Ohio State University in the fall and major in biology. Afterward, she plans to attend medical school.

“I want to work in a pediatric ER because I’ve had the chance to volunteer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital last summer, and it was fun,” Rigsby said.

She said she was diagnosed with celiac, a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the gluten protein, during her sophomore year.

“So I’ve seen a lot of doctors, and I’ve been in the hot seat, so I feel like I can give an empathetic hand and kind of realize where people are coming from and have that insight,” Rigsby said. “And I also think that’s where volunteering came in because it’s a positive outlet where I could begin to do it on my own time, and if I got sick, I didn’t have a sports commitment.”

Rigsby said she likes the outdoors.

“I enjoy being outside, and I’ve grown up in the neighborhood with tons of friends, and we’ve always been outside ever since we were little, riding our bikes and taking walks,” Rigsby said.

She said she plans to continue to volunteer as much as she can while focusing on science and math research in schools.

very humbling, and it was fun, but it was a lot of hard work, though. I was stressed.”

Although she is excited to graduate and move on to college, she said, her dowen@thisweeknews.com experience in Reynoldsburg schools www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

Nomination excerpt I learned an undertaking so large requires the help of many, so one needs to put perfectionism aside and trust others to do their job. Our high school could not have accomplished this task without all the people of Reynoldsburg’s help. Students got together and sent thank-you letters out to all the Reynoldsburg small businesses and sponsors that got us started. Raiders Go Pink has instilled a lasting sense of pride within the Reynoldsburg community. Most importantly we raised awareness,

volunteerism within the high school, as well as over $6,200.00 in about six weeks for cancer research. To this day, when I see someone wearing a Raiders Go Pink T-shirt, I smile knowing what we accomplished. I know when I truly began to give my time without expecting anything in return, my life changed.

Caitlin Rigsby Senior, Reynoldsburg High School

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May 19, 2011 | Amazing Student Volunteers

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$500 runner-up

Gainer worked hundreds of hours at Westerville library

By JENNIFER NESBITT ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Glen Gainer has volunteered hundreds of hours to the Westerville Public Library, mainly helping to carry out children’s programs.

“We tried to add up his lifetime hours, and we got up to 500, which is way more than anyone else,” teen librarian Becky O’Neil said.

Though he’s only 16, Gainer has been volunteering at the library since 2005.

The Westerville North High School junior has been selected as a runner-up in the Amazing Student Volunteers contest, sponsored by ThisWeek Community Media and Columbus State Community College.

As one of two runners-up, Gainer will receive a $500 scholarship.

“I used to attend the programs (at the library), so I kind of new all that was going on. I had fun doing it, and I wanted to pass on the experience,” Gainer said of

By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek

Westerville 16-year-old Glen Gainer has logged more than 500 hours of volunteer time at the Westerville Public Library.

his decision to start volunteering with the library.

Gainer began as a volunteer to help register children for the library’s summer reading program. When the sign-up process went online for the program, O’Neil said, Gainer, who hopes to get a degree in computer science, was instrumental in making the transition work.

Gainer serves as a volunteer for a variety of children’s pro-

Nomination excerpt

Raising funds — and the bar She began (volunteer) work when her best friend, Megan, was diagnosed with type 1 juvenile diabetes at the age of 12. As Holly watched her friend learn to live with that disease, … she desperately wanted to help her. … The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation holds a fundraiser each year at the Ohio State University, called the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. Holly joined that organization and formed a walk team named Megan’s Miracle Workers. Throughout the year, her team holds a variety of fundraisers for this event. Oct. 3, 2010, was Holly’s sixth year to walk and raise money to find better treatments and possibly even a cure for this disease. … To date, her team has raised over $100,000 and coming up yet this spring, the high school has given her permission to hold a dodgeball tournament to raise more money for the JDRF. …

Nominated by Ralph King Activities director Worthington Kilbourne High School

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grams at the library and has been named a lead volunteer, helping to mentor new volunteers and making volunteer schedules.

O’Neil said that in addition to having a lot of knowledge to share with the children who come to the library for programs, Gainer also is great with the children.

“He’s kind of a natural teacher,” O’Neil said. “He’s good

with the kids and helping them find their own way.”

Gainer said he enjoys what he does at the library. He said he gets to work with many of his friends and that he he’s learned a variety of interesting skills, such as making balloon animals.

“It’s a fun place to be,” he said.

Gainer said he has become a familiar face for many of the visitors at the library.

“The question I get a lot is: ‘Do you have a job (at the library) yet?’” he said.

Gainer seems humble about his work at the library, but O’Neil said volunteers like him make the many programs the library offers possible. “(Volunteers) are indispensible,” she said. “In the summer, we literally couldn’t have something as big as the summer reading program without the volunteers. (Glen) is really exceptional, and I’m really glad he’s getting this recognition.” jnesbitt@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

Nomination excerpt

More than a library helper The number of volunteer hours that Glen has logged over five consecutive summer reading programs — 600-plus hours — far exceeds those of other teen volunteers according to Ms. (Becky) O’Neil (teen librarian). With over 3,000 children and teens registering for the summer reading program every summer, Glen has potentially encouraged the summer reading of 15,000 local students. Glen’s patience and knack for teaching make him a natural mentor to new or struggling volunteers, and his consistent volunteerism and championing of the cause have served to intrigue and recruit other teens to become library volunteers. …

During one busy children’s program, Science Attack, a librarian cut her hand badly enough to go to Urgent Care. Glen was essential in keeping the program flowing, the kids attentive, and the atmosphere calm. Afterwards, he cleaned up all the supplies and put away the furniture without being asked.

Kevin and Yan Yan Gainer, Glen Gainer’s parents Westerville

$500 runner-up

Friend’s diabetes led Klepek to step up

By CANDY BROOKS ThisWeek Community Newspapers

When Holly Klepek was 12, her best friend, Megan, was diagnosed with type 1 juvenile diabetes.

Watching Megan get shots and as many as 20 finger-sticks a day just to stay alive, Holly realized how fortunate she was to be healthy and that she wanted to help.

She decided the best way to do that was to raise money for diabetes research, so she joined a walk team named Megan’s Miracle Workers. To date, the team has raised $97,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Members walk each fall in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes and hold a variety of events throughout the year.

A dodgeball tournament is next on the fundraising schedule.

“I really hope we reach our goal of $100,000,” Klepek said.

For her work raising money for diabetes re-

search and for the many other volunteer efforts that have come to define her life, Holly has been named a runner-up in the Amazing Student Volunteers scholarship contest, sponsored by ThisWeek Community Media and Columbus State Community College.

Holly found raising money for the JDRF so fulfilling that she expanded her efforts to help others. Last year, she completed more than 300 hours of community service, earning the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award.

Two years ago, she founded a group called Holly’s Helpers, which raised money for the Capital Area Humane Society and helped with clothing and food drives for the community kitchen at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

She also served as a team captain for Relay For Life, raising money for cancer research.

At Worthington Kilbourne High School, where she is a senior, she has assisted in sevBy Chris Parker/ThisWeek eral student council-run campaigns to colWorthington resident Holly Klepek, lect food, gifts for children at Christmas and

May 19, 2011 | Amazing Student Volunteers

18, helped raise money for the battle

See KLEPEK, page 7 against juvenile diabetes.

www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

In partnership with

Honorable Mentions The following is a compilation of nomination excerpts from other Amazing Student Volunteers entries.

These students are the “honorable mention” winners and will receive family passes to COSI: SKYLA ANDY Marysville 12-year-old Skyla has volunteered her services and time on many occasions.

One Thanksgiving, Skyla volunteered with our church to deliver meals to needy families in Union County. …

One summer, Skyla went through her personal belongings to find some items that she could sell at a yard sale to raise money for a family in crisis. She carefully chose things that she loved, hoping that someone else would love them as well. They did, and we raised $350.

For the past couple of years, Skyla has had a job dog sitting a yellow lab named Sadie. Sadie’s family recently had a medical crisis and needed to go to Michigan for several days to seek specialty medical services.

The family needed someone to take care of Sadie, but because of the unplanned, extra medical and travel expenses, the family suffered a financial crisis, as well.

Skyla volunteered to watch Sadie at no charge.

She has watched Sadie now on three separate occasions, for several days at a time, without pay, at her request.

Skyla loves animals and is currently volunteering at the Union County Animal Shelter. Every Sunday, Skyla and I go to the shelter, knowing that we are going to do some dirty work. We do laundry, separate newspapers, feed and water the dogs and clean out stinky, messy cages. Skyla will do whatever needs to be done

www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

without hesitation, no matter what it is.

Nominated by Jacqueline Andy, Skyla’s mother ••• GRAHAM BOWLING Delaware 18-year-old I am an active volunteer and member of the STAND UP Leadership Team, a program of the Delaware General Health District and HelpLine of Delaware & Morrow Counties. STAND UP supports and encourages teens to abstain from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and promotes positive mental health, healthy relationships and violence-free lifestyles.

Through STAND UP, I have participated in many activities to better my community, but perhaps the most impactful change I have made is the adoption of a 100percent tobacco-free-campus (TFC) policy for the Delaware City School District. In January 2010, I began my quest by forming a committee of fellow STAND UP members to advocate for the policy and led the group in brainstorming an action plan. …

In the following months, I conducted a random survey of over 500 high school students and learned that 70 percent of the high school students fully supported a 100-percent TFC policy. In June 2010, I presented the information from the survey and various facts about the harmful effects of youth tobacco use to the Delaware Board of Education. … After my second testimony, the board adopted the policy immediately (effective August 2010), protecting the 5,100-plus students, 520plus staff and countless visitors to the district. …

I did not stop there: I decided to advocate for a statewide 100percent TFC policy. I spoke twice

Hunter’s heart was broken and Hunter’s Hope was begun.

Starting out by seeking donations of gently used Beanie Babies, Hot Wheels and Smarties candy, his efforts first provided for orphans in Bangui, Central African Republic. In 2008, Hunter loaded up 15 trunks of gifts and went to Bangui, C.A.R., working with over 500 orphans. Since Hunter was not able to bring a brother or sister home through adoption, he sponsors two brothers and one sister who live in Bangui and also raised the funds needed to provide lifesaving heart surgery for the oldest brother.

Nine-year-old Jaden (Libby) Erwin of Reynoldsburg cheered up pediatric paThrough partnerships with tients with heart defects by volunteering to paint their faces at Children’s missionaries, … the gifts have Hospital. reached C.A.R., Uganda, Sierra Libby also loves animals of all Leone, Trinidad, Philippines, to the Ohio State Board of EducaRussia, El Salvador and Ecuador, tion and superintendent of public kinds. … In addition to loving, to name a few. Hunter’s latest schools, and upon my first presen- feeding, watering and cleaning partnership is with the U.S. Army: her own animals, Libby spends tation, the board assigned the Operation Enduring Freedom, issue to their capacity committee time at the local animal shelter, where she donates food and sup- providing the gifts for the soldiers for further consideration. I then plies and visits wounded animals. to give to the needy children of called my Congressman to give Afghanistan.

Even the associates at our local him an update on my progress.

In 2010, Hunter became aware pet store know Libby as she visits regularly, asking to hold and play that there were homeless and Self-nominated needy children right in his own with the animals no one asks for

by Graham Bowling community. So Hunter added so they, too, will get love, affec••• Grace Clinic, Family Promise of tion and exercise.

JADEN (LIBBY) ERWIN Delaware County and Common Last weekend, Libby volunReynoldsburg 9-year-old teered her time to packaging care Ground Free Store to his ministry Libby brought joy to the hearts packages for military troops over- outreach. Hunter provided gifts for the children through both of seas. She made candy bags for of pediatric patients with heart these organizations and in NoU.S. soldiers and attached a defects by volunteering to paint their faces at Children’s Hospital. homemade thank-you card to each vember held a Christmas for Orphans and Needy Children and every one of them.

She visits the Ronald McDonald fundraiser and split those funds House and bakes cookies and between Integrated Community Nominated by Jennifer Erwin decorates cards for family memDevelopment International, Famibers who have a child in the hos- Libby’s mother ly Promise and Common Ground.

••• pital. This past winter, Libby He tries to hold two or three HUNTER FREY made homemade blankets and fundraisers per year to educate Ashley 13-year-old donated them to less fortunate and raise funds for meeting the children in local foster care. … children’s’ needs. Hunter also has Five years ago, after receiving Come spring, Libby has decided provided food to those he finds to plant and harvest an over-sized an email from a family friend out have none. garden, where she plans to donate regarding his trip to the Central all the fresh fruits and vegetables African Republic and delivering gifts to only sponsored orphans, to our local food pantry. …

Continued on next page

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In partnership with

Honorable Mentions ••• ERIKA SEVERANCE Blacklick 13-year-old

Continued from previous page

Nominated by Robin Frey Hunter’s mother ••• ERIC McCORKLE Dublin 15-year-old Our son, Eric, was exposed to Habitat for Humanity through his older brother’s house volunteering. Eric is not old enough to work on a Habitat house but found a few ways to help raise money for Habitat until he can work at a build site when he is 16.

In 2010 he co-founded a bowling fundraising event called “Spare a House for Habitat.”

Through inviting middle school students to bowl, asking community businessmen to provide donations for door prizes and for Tshirts in exchange for business advertising, he and his friend were able to raise over $900 for Habitat. He felt it was a great experience. They repeated and expanded the event in 2011 and raised over $1,250. In support of this event, Habitat for Humanity Greater Columbus CEO E. J. Thomas attended with his father, who is a former professional bowler. Eric and his friend were very proud to present the check to Habitat for their efforts. They are planning to repeat the event in 2012.

Through his school, Eric has also participated in Shack City, a Habitat-sponsored event, where students sleep outside overnight in cardboard box houses they make to raise money and experience firsthand what it is like to be homeless. He most recently hosted a Sign-a-Stud fundraiser at a local hardware store, where donations were accepted in exchange for leaving a signed message on a wooden 2x4 stud that will be built

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Thirteen-year-old Madi Ryan of Westerville collected more than 270 pairs of gently used jeans to donate to homeless shelters in the Columbus area. She designed and printed flyers and spent hours delivering them.

was going to be collecting jeans for the charity drive, I asked her what prompted her to do so. I thought perhaps it was some kind of contest. Her answer astounded me. She said, “I just wanted to do something to help kids whose parents can’t give them all the Nominated by Lisa McCorkle, things my parents give me.” There Eric’s mother was no reward or incentive. She ••• just truly wanted to do something MADI RYAN to help others. The spark of her Westerville 13-year-old kindness ignited a fire in those around her, and the jeans began Madi … received a flyer one afternoon about a charity drive to piling up. Every day there were more bags of jeans to pick up collect gently used jeans for from the church or local businesshomeless teenagers (Jeans for Teens, sponsored by Aeropostale). es where Madi has posted flyers.

Madi’s enthusiasm inspired others She took it upon herself to begin her own collection in the commu- to open their hearts and their closets to those less fortunate. By the nity. She designed and printed time the jeans drive concluded, it flyers and spent hours delivering took five people, a dolly and them house to house. She also countless boxes to deliver the posted them in local businesses 270-plus pairs of jeans to the local and churches. She had no idea Aeropostale store in Polaris mall. how big her personal jeans drive Needless to say, the store staff would become. Within two weeks, Madi has single-handedly was overwhelmed and extremely pleased with Madi’s donations. collected over 270 pairs of jeans to donate to homeless shelters in Nominated by Kris Ryan, the Columbus area.

Madi’s mother When she first announced she into a future Habitat house. Eric is currently assisting on raising awareness for Habitat by collecting donations for an upcoming church-sponsored golf outing to benefit Habitat for Humanity.

It all started when (Erika) submitted a book she wrote (about her dog, Lilly) to a publishing company for consideration. When they declined, she decided to start her own publishing company (kid style) to not only publish her own book, but also the books of any children that wanted the experience, as well.

She does it all completely free of charge, including the shipping, and offers editing and writing lessons, as well.

Her website for her company is www.wonderlilly.scriptmania.co m.

She has already “published” dozens of books sent to her from children all over the country and hands out business cards she had printed to every child she sees.

They gave her a table at the Groveport Arts Festival to showcase some of her work and to let other kids know about it.

At the age of 11, she did a fundraiser for the humane society and raised $100 for them, walking door to door with a box she labeled “Pennies for Puppies.”

Once she turned 12, she became a volunteer at the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

When she was 6, she saw a story on raising guide dogs and decided she wanted to do it, too. I told her maybe when she was 12 (of course, thinking that day would never come).

When her 12th birthday came along, that was all she asked for.

We put in an application soon after, and on April 6, 2010, we received our first puppy from Pilot Dogs Inc. She was a golden retriever that Erika named Leslie.

Erika did everything needed to

May 19, 2011 | Amazing Student Volunteers

raise her, and she was the trainer at all the obedience classes.

Nominated by Christy Weseman, Erika’s mother ••• KRISTEN SELLAN Westerville 16-year-old In March of 2008, Kristen’s grandmother, Mary Mondillo, passed away from bone cancer.

She had suffered from it for 2 1/2 years. One of the few ways that Kristen was able to offer comfort to her before she died was to make her a no-sew fleece blanket. … She took it to all her tests and slept with it every night. …

In September of 2008, Kristen toured the Ronald McDonald House here in Columbus. She was so touched by that visit that she chose the house to receive the blankets she had continued making after her grandmother had died. She wanted to offer her blankets to not only the children that were sick, but also to their siblings staying at the house.

Kristen has delivered 195 nosew fleece blankets to the house.

She started off delivering three blankets a month, increased that number to five and is now meeting her commitment of 10 per month. Kristen has had several blanket parties at her house. She has attend blanket parties at other people’s homes and has even held a blanket party at the Westerville Public Library. …

When she held her first blanket party at her house, an air horn was sounded every time a blanket was completed. The girls asked at the end of the night when she would be having another party. When the party at the library was held, there were DeSales students, St. Charles students, teachers, neighContinued on next page

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In partnership with

Honorable Mentions the accomplishment of the tangible but also building relationships with the homeowners, bring bors and even people she didn’t smiles to an often very lonely know. person. …

One of the neat things is that Nominated by Barbara Sellan, she finances her own mission Kristen’s mother work. Often, these are acquired ••• through hard work of her own, KAILYNNE TANGEMAN such as working church dinners, Marysville 18-year-old volunteering her babysitting servAt school, (Kailynne) has been ices and others which build up a peer tutor for four years, helping money in her “Quake account.” If these don’t cover it, she pays out fellow students who are strugof her own pocket. … gling in their classes. She sacriBecause of Kailynne’s dedicafices her study hall time to do this tion and leadership in her youth while staying up often past midgroup, she was chosen to join an night to work on her own homeAfrican mission trip. She, one work. … other teen and two adults prepped Kailynne is also very active in her church’s youth group, Quake. for months and journeyed to Ethiopia in order to work on a Being involved is so much more project to build a school in a rethan social time. One key area is S.O.S. (service over self). This is mote area. She will never be the same. Where she once considered an annual weeklong mission trip to Memphis, where the kids work education as just normal, she saw kids (and grown persons) thirst hard on impoverished persons’ homes, doing such projects as re- for knowledge. Because of this activity, the team worked to raise roofing, painting, etc. She loves Continued from previous page

$50,000 to build the school and made it happen.

cards with Hershey’s Kisses for the Meals on Wheels recipients.

Nominated by Jon Tangeman, Kailynne’s father ••• JONATHAN ZINS Bexley 15-year-old

Self-nominated

by Jonathan Zins ••• ZACHARY ZINS Bexley 18-year-old

I am raising and training Hollen, my third puppy for Canine Companions for Independence, who hopefully will go on to advanced training and then be provided without charge to a person with a disability. We regularly visit The Courtyard nursing home, where the 36 residents love Hollen. I also call bingo numbers and deliver holiday treats to the residents at The Courtyard. …

I have been an altar server at Sunday Teen Life Mass since February 2006 at St. Brendan Church, where I also worked the fish fries and ran games at the summer festival and breakfast with Santa. Last December, my family and I made 600 Christmas

Zachary tutors disadvantaged children in inner-city Columbus at Run the Race Club on Eureka Avenue and has been a positive male role model to many since March 2008. Each December, he brings a “buddy” to Christmas in Dublin at St. Brigid parish hall, where they share a healthy meal, hear a Bible story, choose and wrap gifts for the child’s family, make a craft, play games and visit with Santa. …

On CORE Leadership Team for St. Brigid youth group, Zachary has given presentations at retreats to teach his peers the value of making good choices. He plans activities, runs meetings and provides a welcoming, accepting and

inclusive atmosphere for high school students.

For the past three years, struggling students at St. Charles were provided a National Honor Society tutor because he coordinated the tutoring program. Zachary has been an altar server at Sunday Teen Life Mass since February 2003 at St. Brendan Church, where he also worked the fish fries and ran games at the summer festival. …

During the summer of 2008, he offered refreshments and magazines to families at the James cancer hospital. The same year, he also cleaned up the grounds after Picnic with the Pops to help the football team raise funds. In 2007, he helped the nuns clean up the yard at Shepherd’s Corner and packed care packages for soldiers with the Blue Star Mothers. In 2005, Zachary assisted disabled children so they could play baseball for Miracle League.

Nominated by Elaine Zins, Zachary’s mother

KLEPEK Continued from page 4 blood.

Annually, the group collects and donates three to four tons of food, more than 100 units of blood and $12,000 to $15,000, she said.

Klepek has acquired a talent for rallying the support of other people, according to Worthington Kilbourne activities director Ralph King, who nominated Holly for the Amazing Student Volunteers award.

She does this by raising awareness, believing that when people become educated about whom they are helping and can see how their efforts are appreciated, they are willing to help.

“She is truly passionate about volunteer and communityservice work,” King wrote. “It has become a big part of who she is and something she plans to continue the rest of her life.”

Holly said she plans to attend Miami University in Oxford next year to study pre-med, she said, and hopes to become a pediatrician.

Special thanks to our partners for their support of this publication and contest.

Read about student volunteers anytime at ThisWeekNews.com/volunteers

cbrooks@thisweeknews.com www.ThisWeekNEWS.com

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May 19, 2011 | Amazing Student Volunteers

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