During the Do Good Adventure Road Trip, we invited teens to share their work doing good. Each month, we held a drawing of that month’s entries and awarded $500 to the organization of the winner’s choice. We hope you will be as excited as we are about how these teens are impacting their communities.
Congratulations to our Do Good Drawing Winners!
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Name: Rachel B
Age: 15
Home: Santa Barbara, California
Organization: Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center
How Rachel helps her organization: I help my organization by helping children and adults with disabilities learn to ride and care for horses.
Why Rachel does good: I volunteer because of my love for horses and for helping people in my community.
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Name: Jaclyn Z.
Age: 19
Home: Las Vegas, Nevada
Organization: Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity
How Jaclyn helps her organization: : Alpha Phi Omega is a national coed community service fraternity. I belong to Alpha Zeta Upsilon chapter from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Throughout each semester, we participate in all kinds of service. We have done events ranging from Breast Cancer walks to teaching children healthy eating habits and the importance of exercise. When I was a pledge in Fall 2011, our main project was during National Service week, the focus being exercise and healthy eating. We gave an engaging presentation to preschoolers about how to eat healthy and did a fun exercise routine with them.
Why Jaclyn does good: I love helping my community and helping other people. I have had some of my best life experiences in my fraternity helping people out. Not only is it fun, but also it makes me feel like I’m doing something for more than just myself. From teaching little kids how to play baseball to doing zumba with senior citizens, at the end of the day, nothing feels better than seeing them smile.
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Name: Steven G.
Age: 18
Home: San Diego, California
Organization: San Diego Rowing Club
How Steven helps his organization: With four years of experience and as varsity team captain, I am a role model for younger athletes. I coach technique, encourage teammates, and convey the commitment. I volunteer during summer camps by helping coaches, teaching work ethic, and exposing younger teens to a great sport. I also spread the word about rowing to the community by leading a club at school and participation in ‘Erg-a-thons’ in the public.
Why Steven does good: Rowing has kept me focused throughout high school and has given me the determination to succeed afterwards. I help educate about rowing in order to bring other teens into an extracurricular that keeps them focused on school and away from temptations.
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Name: Olivia P.
Age: 17
Home: La Jolla, California
Organization: Culture Shock San Diego
How Olivia helps her organization: “I am the captain of the youth performing team, Future Shock at Culture Shock San Diego. We are a hip-hop dance team for youth ages 17 and under. Over summer I lead a one week dance camp at Culture Shock. The kids spend a week learning and practicing their routines. They end the week with a small show at the studio for family and friends.”.
Why Olivia does good: As dancers, our goal is to inspire those who are watching. We spend endless hours rehearsing for those five minutes on stage. We bring kids together from culturally diverse backgrounds and practice the art of dance. We learn to respect, help, and encourage each other as we use teamwork to produce a medley to share with our peers.
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Name: Neil G.
Age: 21
Home: Austin, Texas
Organization: Livestrong
How Neil helps his organization: “I put on an event through my fraternity that
raised over $5000 for the Livestrong foundation. I continually wear the
Livestrong wristband and spread awareness daily”.
Why Neil does good: “I try hard to help everyone I can. I have raised a good
deal of money for Livestrong, especially through the giving campaign Movember,
where you grow a mustache during the month of November and solicit donations to
fight men’s cancers. ”
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Name: Liza G.
Age: 17
Hometown: La Jolla, California
Organization: Project Concern International
How Liza helps her organization: “As the Chair of the San Diego Walk for Water, my efforts are two fold: to raise money and awareness to address the world water crisis locally and globally. Working closely with a tri-school student run board and Project Concern International, we not only rally 1000 San Diego youth and their families to this annual event, but also teach them throughout the year at local assemblies and through social networking about critical water issues and how important conservation is to the sustainability of our environment and drought state.”
Why Liza does good: “I am often asked: What makes you want to do community Service? Why do you do what you do? How did you get involved? When did you get involved? For me the answers are easy: it was never a requirement; never
an hourly obligation; never something I forced to do. For me helping others is
a sort of internal drive, it’s a part of me and the person I have become. I do
believe that some of this is learned, but a large part of this drive to be
involved is innate. A need and a want to make an impact, a drive that is
pulsing through your being.”