The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Here at the Times we've been in the community service spirit.

We give out three scholarships each year to deserving stu- dents who not only show a financial need, a bright future and high GPAs, but they're students who have passion for serving the community.

It was hard to select our chosen three because those who applied had done great things: Ran sports camps for local youth, picked up trash, took the Draw the Line campaign to Olympia, helped out in elementary school classrooms, par- ticipated and helped organize blood drives and food drives.

Our seniors have to complete a senior project as a gradu- ation requirement and that involves a service element. My favorite senior project from 2011-12, and I'm totally biased, was the mini cheer camp held at Dayton High School during basketball season to create school spirit in little ones that they can carry on through to their high school years and beyond.

It's great that for our seniors to graduate they have to step out into their community to meet its needs and make it a bet- ter place.

When Pedro Mendoza, our Prescott scholarship winner, told me he picks up trash around his residential area in Vista Hermosa and encourages his young sisters to do so as well, I was stunned. Mendoza takes so much pride in where he lives and goes to school and he was actively teaching his sisters to care in that same way. This is not a "normal" trait in teenag- ers from the many I have interviewed through my profession.

When I graduated from high school, we had to complete 40 hours of community service to obtain our diplomas. Because I had been a volunteer camp counselor and helped out my youth theater and cheer squads, those 40 hours were far surpassed. Having the requirement at first seemed tough to meet when I was a freshman. But, by simply staying involved in what was going on in my city, it was an easy accomplish- ment and I gained pride in my community and activities through helping.

After starting to participate in service projects in high school, I never stopped. My college cheer squad volunteered at golf jamborees for the community and through my soror- ity we picked up trash on the highway, painted fingernails, baked cookies and planted flowers at a local retirement home, passed out candy and played games at a youth Halloween event and threw a gala every year to raise money for women's cardiac care.

This year, I was lucky enough to have been a volunteer for the seventh grade Waitsburg gals during PE where I taught them some cheerleading basics. Recently, my fiancé and I have started donating our time at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park maintaining the walking trails.

Because of the satisfaction and fun memories I have from my volunteerism, I encourage all teens this summer to get out and help our community in some way.

My future cousin is working one day a week here in the Times mail room and then she's volunteering for her older sister at a summer reading program for Waitsburg elementary students. I'm really proud of her for giving up her poolside time to help kids learn to read.

I know summer jobs are scarce right now for teens. But I hope they will pick an activity they might enjoy and help for free. No, they won't make any money for college or for Justin Bieber's new album, but volunteering looks great on college and job resumes. Perhaps it could even earn a teen a Times community service scholarship in the future or perhaps it could lead to a future career. Perhaps it could eliminate a future career option. Just get out and give.

We hear all the time about local groups and people who are in need of others to step up and take on different jobs in the community. Need an idea? Give us a call. 509-337-6631. By Jillian Beaudry, Managing Editor