Tag Archives: volunteer

Some Volunteer Events You Can Do This Summer

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  1. Summer Reading Program Volunteer – this volunteer program is offered by the Mission Viejo Library for teens aged 13-17. The Summer Reading Program is an annual library tradition that allows children to be part of a program that upholds the importance of reading. This year’s program will occur from June 15 through July 31 and volunteers will accommodate families by explaining the rules and process, enroll participants with the use of provided laptops, and award certain prizes according to the participant’s age.

2. Team NEGU – this is organized by Jessie Rees Foundation whose mission is to “Help every kid fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up!” Team NEGU allows individuals from any age to volunteer through different ways. One of them is the JoyFactory, which allows volunteers to make cozy blankets, write care cards, stuff JoyJars that are given to the children fighting cancer, and more. Another one is the JoyDrive wherein volunteers will choose from Team NEGU’s hospital-approved list of new toys and collect as many as they can together with friends, classmates, or co-workers. Another one of out many is doing Care Cards wherein volunteers will be provided a document that they can print and color with the use of their creativity. After coloring and designing the cards, volunteers can mail them to the foundation, and they will be sent out to the strong kids fighting cancer.

Things You Can Do During Summer

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Summer break has always been something we look forward to. 2 months of break after a whole school year is granted to students for not only relaxation but also a time to come across and experience different opportunities to learn and develop social skills and abilities. Various experiences can happen through family vacations, simple trips to the park, or while carrying out commitments of paid or unpaid activities.

One of the many things you can do this summer is try to get a job if you think you are ready and if you are in the right age to do so. Having a job can always be beneficial in terms of earning your own money to save it up for personal or education purposes or use it to spend on things and activities you want to do. Additionally, it can also be a nice way to develop new skills while being able to have real-world experience and start to build up your credentials at a young age.

Another thing you can do is volunteering at any type of program, event, or organization available. You can always search up available volunteer events near you and those that are within your interest like at an animal shelter, or even at events that you have not tried before in order to expand your experiences. It is always great to be able to give back to our community in any way we can.

Furthermore, students can also choose to take summer classes if they are able and willing to. You can take a class that interests you or a class that you are required to complete to get ahead of your credits. Although, just be aware that classes during summer are more fast paced. For instance, if you are a high school student and you take a class at a community college, classes are mostly only 8 weeks.

Overall, despite these suggestions to have a productive summer, do not forget to relax and have fun during this time of the year because it is only 2 months and it can happen pretty fast. Personally, during last year’s (2022) summer, I was doing these three things all at the same time as I was working for a part-time job at a fast food place, I was also volunteering at the Mission Viejo Library, and I was taking a summer class at a community college. But I was still able to successfully complete all of them, while trying to watch any show and going out during my free time. Always believe in yourself and do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone!

Event Recap: Symphony In The Cities

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On Saturday, July 27th, the City of Mission Viejo hosted The Symphony in the Cities at Newhart Middle School. I was fortunate enough to volunteer at the symphony, being stationed at the “Instrument Petting Zoo.” I helped teach children how to play a variety of instruments, including violin, viola, trumpet, flute, and a few types of percussion instruments.

Although it was an extremely hot, the even was really fun. There were horse drawn carriages, bountiful stands and booths for entertainment, and ice water so that everyone stayed hydrated. The entire event was free (excluding ticket costs) and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra also performed at 7 PM.

All of the volunteer coordinators were super knowledgeable and kind, and they answered any questions we had. It was extraordinarily well-organized, and the kids loved our booth! (At least, they seemed to.)

Additionally, the Symphony was an incredible opportunity for me to make friends. The volunteers are my booth and I all got super close throughout the course of the extreme heat of our 4-hour shift. We are actually making plans to volunteer at more evets like this already!

Overall, Mission Viejo’s Symphony in the Cities was a really fun, albeit boiling, event. I enjoyed volunteering and teaching children about one of my passions, and I loved watching the orchestra perform. I ardently recommend this event, and if you didn’t go this year, you should plan to go in 2020. It really is a treat!

-Arushi S.