Thousands of Carroll students are forced to slave away and labor for free in order to obtain the hundred hours of community service required to graduate with honors. Or, at least, that was the opinion of junior Katherine Blumenschein before she started volunteering at White’s Chapel. 

Three years ago, Blumenschein went on her first mission trip where she assisted a hurricane victim by salvaging any belongings that remained in her house. Quickly, she realized that there was more to volunteering than just looking good on paper.

“At first it was hours, but once I did the mission trip I was like ‘Oh, this is fun, and it makes me feel good to help people,’” Blumenschein said.

One unique thing that Blumenschein loves about volunteering locally is the opportunity to feel more immersed in the community and form true connections with others. She knows how much local people appreciate the help of volunteers.

“One time we were painting this person’s house, and the whole neighborhood chipped in and got us ice cream, which must’ve been so expensive,” Blumenschein said. “It was so sweet and it felt like we made a genuine impact.” 

She continues to make a difference in people’s lives, one house at a time. This feeling of fulfillment drives her to keep going.

“I do feel like we make a genuine impact, even though it’s not anything crazy. I’m not Mother Teresa, but I do feel like we make an impact.”

Not only does volunteering impact adults in the area, but it also allows the volunteers to bond with kids. Junior Andrea Jimenez volunteered at the Elise Cerami Aquatics Center, timing races and encouraging younger swimmers.

“I would help the kids gain confidence before a race telling them ‘you got this’ or ‘you’re gonna be super fast’ to get them ready to swim,” Jimenez said.

Throughout her volunteering journey, Jimenez was also able to bond with the other volunteers at the aquatics center who shared her love for swimming.

“I met a lot of really cool people who I could relate to because we all had the same interests and they were there for the same reasons as me,” Jimenez said.

Sophomore Sonia Naidu also works with kids to help her community. For the past two summers, she has volunteered as a camp counselor at Camp Invention and helped out at the public library. 

“I think that it is important for everyone to volunteer for their community, even if it is just a couple of hours, because it makes a difference,” Naidu said.

Volunteering has allowed her to contribute to the community that has helped her throughout her life. Not only has she learned about the many aspects of management, but she has also been able to experience being a part of the system that keeps the community running.

“Our community provides us with so many things and it is only fair to give back,” Naidu said. “I have lived in this area my whole life and utilized all of the things that our town has to offer, and now I get to help make all of those things happen.”