Volunteering by The Leaf

The Leaflet 3.30.17 | Vol. 3 Issue 8

VOLUNTEERING

volunteering issue Giving back is a very important lesson. We all have had some form of this in our lives. Whether it was a youth sports coach, or a parent that was putting together programs at your elementary school, most people have been affected by volunteers. Every volunteer has a story to tell. Whether it is how they affected someone or how that person affected them, they all

have something to share. The things that they do share is the topic for this issue of the Leaflet. Volunteering is an important part of society. It is how we help people who are less fortunate than us, while also helping us understand the situations they are in. Without it many people would not be able to go on, and many of those who volunteer would not become the people they are today.

staff members

Hannah May Benjamin Ruskin Amy Deng Jenna Bao Taylor Close Sarah Horne Lauren Kurtzer Eshika Kohli David Wertheim Natalie Brinkman Adhiti Chundur Sydney Evans Sydney Weiss Caroline Bruns Harsimran Makkad Hannah Frey

Emily Chien Eshika Kohli Sydney Weiss Anne Marsh Yasmine Guedira Max Torem William Coleman Caroline Veraldo Allyson Bonhaus Taylor Close Alexander Karev Joshua Patterson Samuel Ruskin Meghan DiGiovanna Hannah Loftspring Abigail Bastin

Leaflet Editors-in-Chief Hannah Frey Executive Editor in Chief Hannah May, Benjamin Ruskin Managing Editor Amy Deng Print Co-Editors Natalie Brinkman, Adhiti Chundur,Sydney Evans Web Master Caroline Bruns

Mark Huffer Jessica Lu Lydia Masset Jason Merkel Jacob Wittenbaum Lexi Fritzhand Jacqueline Grega Abigail Lefton Sara Margolis Yvanna Reyes Maddie Saunders Jessica Schaad Madie Shewbridge David Sung Kirsten Thomas Edward Wade

Web Editor-in-Chief Harsimran Makkad Associate Editors Jenna Bao Business Managers David Wertheim, Eshika Kohli Social Media Director Sydney Weiss Creative Projects Director Jenna Bao, Taylor Close, Lauren Kurtzer,Sarah Horne

hannah frey

This issue p2: why to volunteer p4: benefits of volunteering p6: where to volunteer p8: what kind of volunteer are you? p12: Sophie Galyon p14: Anthony Lombardi p16: Allie Fanning p20: Ms. Emily Molina The Leaflet, the official digital newsmagazine of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists. We provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national and world issues. We also provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints and give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to our diverse school population. These viewpoints are purely from the staff of The Leaflet, and not the administration.

Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242

WHY VOLUNTEER? HELP PEOPLE OVERCOME PROBLEMS SUCH AS

UNREACHED LACK OF COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL

LOW SELF-ESTEEM

HUNGER

NEED FOR CLOTHES

NEED FOR MENTORS

TRANSPORTATION

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

http://blog.capterra.com/10-powerful-nonprofit-statistics-you-should-know-for-2016/

BY THE NUMBERS

12% of

all nonprofit donations come during the last three days of the year.

64% of

Millennials prefer to fundraise through walking, running, and cycling.

13.27% of final donations come directly through social media.

The average American supports

4.45 charities.

1.5 million charitable 64% of

organizations operated in all nonprofit the United States in 2015. donations are given by women. was the value of volunteer time Monthly per hour in 2015. donors give

$23.56

The average donation made by text-todonate fundraising efforts is .

$107 For every 1,000

fundraising emails sent, a nonprofit raises

$17.

42% more

in one year than one -time donors.

69% of

Americans give charitable donations.

The age group with the highest rate of volunteering is between

35 and 55.

Design by Hannah Frey Information by Hannah Frey

BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING Gain confidence

Make a difference

Volunteering gives people the opportunity to try something new and develop a sense of achievement.

Volunteering can have a positive effect on individuals, communities, and society.

Meet people

Be part of a community

Volunteering introduces people to entirely new groups of friends.

Volunteering makes people be a part of something outside of family and friends.

Take on a challenge

Gain experience

Volunteering can help people challenge themselves by doing different things, reaching goals, and using a different set of skills.

Working in the field that cultivates various skills can benefit people when looking for jobs.

Resume building When someone is able to put volunteering experience on their resume it shows a number of things. It reveals that this person utilizes his/her free time well and stays busy. It also shows that they are a leader, and they can work with other people. Finally, it is shows is that this person cares about their community. 4

http://www.volunteernow.org/volunteers/just-for-teens/the-benefits-of-volunteering.aspx

SELF HELP

Try it out

Potential job

Volunteering in the field that an individual is interested in is a good way to start getting involved. By doing this, they see if they actually enjoy that field of work.

A person could start volunteering at an organization, but this could turn into a job.

College

Learn new skills Volunteering helps people get used to working in a new environment and have hands on experience in these environments.

College applications ask about community service. Volunteering is just one more thing that can make a person stand out to a college.

27%

51%

55%

PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN ODDS OF FINDING A JOB Volunteers overall

Volunteers without a high school diploma

Volunteers living in rural areas

Design by Hannah Frey Information by Hannah Frey

WHERE TO VOLUNTEER Cincinnati IceBreakers

The Cincinnati IceBreakers is a sled hockey team in the Cincinnati area. Sled hockey is an adaptive form of ice hockey for people of all ages with physical disabilities who cannot skate standing up in the way that able-bodied hockey players can. They sit in buckets on top of skate blades and use shorter, twosided, modified sticks to propel and then handle the puck. The IceBreakers practice at Sports Plus every Monday during hockey season. As it is a non-profit organization, players are not required to pay thousands of dollars for their equipment. Fundraisers, donations, and grants cover all costs of equipment and ice time, and the help of volunteers at practice helps ensure everyone can get on and off the ice in a timely manner as well as enjoy their practice on the ice.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati United Way of Greater Cincinnati aims to improve the lives of community members and create change that will last over time. Volunteer opportunities range from assisting families in reaching financial stability to helping children find and reach their maximum potential. Specific helpful roles through United Way of Greater Cincinnati include reading to kids at the YMCA, providing meals to cancer patients, and preparing taxes.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati The Ronald McDonald House welcomes families from all over the world who are seeking treatment for their critically ill children. These families seek out the Ronald McDonald House for quality treatment, comfort, and rest from high medical bills and exhaustion from stress. The House’s main goal is to provide a “home away from home” for families with children in treatment during these stressful times. Volunteer opportunities include cooking meals and playing with children and families, bringing them joy as they heal. 6

http://www.uwgc.org/volunteer/ways-to-volunteer

Community Matters Community Matters is rooted in Lower Price Hill, and its aim is to address disparity regarding access for residents of Lower Price Hill. This includes attempts to lower the poverty and unemployment rates as well as increase access to quality housing and all in all hopefully lengthen the life expectancy of these residents. The volunteer programs at Community Matters require people who are able to empower others, help engage the rest of the community in the development process, and think up ways to work and serve together.

Operation Give Back Operation Give Back is a non-profit organization that aims to better the lives of disadvantaged students in grades first through eight who live in SHS. Students needing assistance who are involved with OGB receive tutoring after school and during the summer so they can better their life skills and academics. OGB also provides family assistance year-round, especially during the holidays. Volunteer opportunities include tutoring students after school, attending weekend movie nights with disadvantaged children, donating to the food pantry, and donating to the Holiday Store so that over 1,500 disadvantaged children can enjoy the holiday season with their families.

OPPORTUNITIES AT SHS

Recycling at lunch

March of Dimes

Fast Track

Color for the Cause

Kevin Youkilis Youth Baseball Camp

Cancer Support Community (Blue Ash) Design by Hannah Frey Information by Hannah Loftspring

WHAT KIND OF A VOL I blaze my own trail, and I ended up volunteering. I help because of something larger than myself.

Helping is an obligation not a choice. I like to feel recognized and appreciated for my work.

Helping is something I do, but it does not define me.

Helping is its own reward. I most like to help people who are going through things that I have gone through.

I am doing my work.

I like to help people in any context.

THE

CARING HAND

Someone whose values and lifestyle centers around helping others

I am doing the work of a higher power

THE CHAMPION Someone who makes something out of themselves by being successful and active

THE

FAITHFUL

So v com t

LUNTEER ARE YOU? START I like to work locally the most. I work globally. I want to take care of people I know. I want to fight injustice for everyone. Consumerism makes me sick. I am more concerned with everyday issues. Someone who fights against injustice and wants to make the world a better place.

THE ACTIVIST

omeone whose Someone who is a values tend to defender of family me directly from values, loyalty, and their religion hard work

I do not mind that.

I cannot stand people who volunteer just for fun.

THE

This work is a calling from a higher power. This work is my civic duty.

HOMETOWN

HERO

Design by Hannah Frey Information by Hannah Frey

STUDEN VOLUN 10

NTS WHO NTEER 11

Sophie Galyon â&#x20AC;&#x153;I occasionally volunteer at Wesley Chapel in Over the Rhine, I help kids with homework and play games with them. I also go on mission trips with my church where we go to places in America fix up houses to improve quality of life of the people who live there. I have volunteered and have loved volunteering most of my life, feeding people in Over the Rhine and working at Matthew 25 are things I have done for a long time. I got involved mostly through my church, but sometimes through school. I love helping people, I have been given so much in my life that I want to share with people who do not have the same blessings I do. Helping kids in over the Rhine is amazing and really opens my eyes to the people I share a city with. It helps me appreciate what we have here at Sycamore,â&#x20AC;? said Sophie Galyon, 11. Design by Hannah Frey Photo courtesy of Sophie Galyon

Anthony Lombardi

“I volunteer at Children’s Hospital. Right now I volunteer in physical and occupational therapy assisting in patient appointments and keeping things clean. Starting in June I will be in the Therapeutic Interagency Program, a psychiatric program for troubled preschoolers. I will be playing with them and keeping them occupied when they are not in class or being seen by doctors. I get involved by taking initiative with my interests and applying them. The application process is quite long; I have been volunteering here for one year. I have learned a lot about hospital environments and what it takes to work in them, which will be incredible to have as experience for when I pursue a career in nursing at University of Cincinnati next year,” said Anthony Lombardi,12.

Jessica Wocks

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We sort lunches into either recycling, compost, or landfill. This is important because it reduces the overall waste of the school that is going to Rumpke and is more environmentally friendly. To get involved people can volunteer to help out during their ACE or even just sort their own lunch before they get to the trash cans to make the process smoother,â&#x20AC;? said Jessica Wocks, 12.

Allie Fanning â&#x20AC;&#x153;I volunteer at PetSmart and I pick up dogs that are in boarding and bring them to show people who could possibly adopt them. I volunteer to help the animals that can not do anything to help themselves and I love dogs. My favorite memory about volunteering is My Furry Valentine, when Hart Animal Rescue had twenty adoptions in two days. It was a full day of volunteering and it was nice to have all the local animal organizations coming together,â&#x20AC;? said Allie Fanning, 12.

Caitlin Schipper “All mission trips are different but they have the same goal: to help make the world a better place. My experiences have mostly been helping specific people in troubled neighborhoods. On my latest mission trip, I had the privilege to help an elderly veteran named Leroy who had gathered an awful lot of stuff over his years. So my group had the task to help restore and clean his house and yard. I personally helped with his yard, removed excess garbage, went through his sheds, and rebuilt his fence. I choose to volunteer because I know how fortunate I am and how others aren’t so fortunate,” said Caitlin Schipper, 9.

TEACHER VOLUN 18

RS WHO NTEER 19

Ms. Emily Molina Ms. Molina is involved in promoting awareness about eating disorders. Q: Why did you get involved with this movement? A: I got involved with advocacy after losing my sister, Shannon, in 2010. She was only 36 and suffered from anorexia and bulimia for more than half her life. Q: How has it affected you? A: Losing my sister to a treatable illness has opened my eyes in ways I wish it had before. I have learned a great deal from this journey by attending conferences [and] talking with eating disorder specialists and others who have lost a loved one the way we lost Shannon. Eating disorders are complex and the more we can educate ourselves on the disease, the more hope there is that lives that can be saved. No one chooses to have an illness. Q: What do you do to promote awareness? A: I have done public speaking events at a NEDA fundraiser in Newport, suicide awareness vigils, and at Loveland High School. Loveland has an Active Minds group which is a national organization that empowers students to change the perception about mental health on both college and high school campuses. My parents and I also started a team called "Shannon's Butterflies." 20

“We walk in fall for NEDA and for AFSP at the Out of the Darkness walk. Our mission has always been to raise awareness. The goal is to have someone ask, ‘What or Who is Shannon's Butterflies?’ so we sell shirts that never indicate what we are walking for. That begins very important conversations. Many times, the person who asks shares a story and a connection is made. The funds we make from the shirts are divided among three local non profits: TSEDRT, AFSP and MHA. Because we had so many sales after the deadline the last two years, we also were able to donate to local animal rescues since animals are life savers to many. We have been very grateful for all the support and have been able to donate over 40K to various organizations that support education, research and events,” said Molina.

Design by Hannah Frey Photo courtesy of Emily Molina

Ms. Chelsea Cook

Q: What organization do you volunteer with and what do you do? A: I volunteer with Adore-a-Bull Rescue. I plan the adoption events and I foster dogs and I also coordinate dog sitting for our fosters when they go out of town so that foster families can still foster but not have to worry about their foster dog when they're on vacation. Q: How did you get involved? A: In 2013 I adopted my dog from Adore-a-Bull Rescue. I knew I wanted to adopt a puppy in the summer so I started looking at rescues in February and March, and found this rescue on the Internet. They had a litter of puppies that were going to be available at the start of summer and they were pitbull mixes which I really liked. I filled out an application and I was so impressed with their process and how thorough they were and how well thought out everything was. They do not just let their dogs go anywhere, they want to make sure the dogs are going to good homes. I got my dog in the end of May and the next January I signed up to foster more dogs. Q: What is fostering dogs like? A: The rescue goes to a shelter like the SPCA and they pull dogs and then place them in fosters homes. The dogs will live with me, I care for them like they are my own dog. I work on training with them and I take them to the vet to make sure they are healthy before they get adopted. If a dog is more difficult, we place them into professional training. The rescue pays for everything: leashes, training, and medical bills, so fostering dogs is literally just taking a dog into your home until it finds a home. You help to train the dog 22

and you take the dog to weekly adoption events on Saturdays. People fill out applications for the dogs and arrange meetings. People always say that they could not give up the dogs after fostering them, but it is better than the alternative of them dying in a shelter. I do cry every time I have to give up a dog I have been fostering. Q: Do you have particularly memorable experiences for volunteering and fostering? A: Every dog has multiple stories. One that stands out is Henry, he was in a shelter in Columbus and the volunteers were not even sure he was going to last the night. You could see every bone on his body and his eyes were so infected that he could not even open one of them. I was on a break from fostering but when I got that call I agreed to take him. In the first two weeks, he gained 15 pounds. The eye specialist said he needed three different medications at three different times a day. When Henry got healthy after two months, he was one of the best dogs. He was super snuggly and not overly rambunctious. He was so happy to have a warm safe place. The transformation was huge. If we would have not taken him he would have been put down in that shelter.

Information by Jenna Bao Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Cook

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