Summer Opportunities

Check out this list of summer camps and opportunities. Also, Teen Life has a great online list as well.

American Legion Law Enforcement Camp

Leadership Opportunities:

Freshmen: University of Chicago Emerging Rural Leaders
Sophomores: HOBY
Juniors: Boys State/Girls State

Invited to a National Youth Leadership Forum? Check out this article for the pros & cons.

NOTE: One thing to be aware of if looking at a summer program on a college campus – many colleges lease out space in the summer, and outside organizations run the programs. That means that the university faculty is not necessarily teaching the courses. So be sure to check each program to verify.

Inspiration

Check out this video from Michelle Obama! Go to College

Volunteer!

Many colleges and scholarship committees like to see that their future students have been involved in community service.  The best way to get involved is by volunteering!  Volunteering offers valuable life experience and skills. These skills could be a helpful factor in determining your college major or career.  Volunteering not only helps other but it can help you too!  You get experience plus you meet a lot of great people in the process.

Why else should you volunteer? It can provide various individual and community benefits, such as:
– CAREER – build your resume, develop or enhance skills, generate career contacts
– ESTEEM – feel good about yourself, feel needed by making a contribution
– SOCIAL – act in a socially desirable way (i.e. help those less fortunate)
– VALUE – act on your deeply held beliefs about the importance of helping others
– PROTECTIVE – relieve yourself of unpleasant feelings, such as, lonesome and guilt
– UNDERSTANDING – foster understanding of others, organizations and yourself

Be sure to track your hours!  By senior year it might be hard to remember what you did freshman year, so use an activity chart like this one (PDF) to track your volunteer experiences.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award: Do you have over 100 hours of community service?  Apply for this prestigious award!

Community Volunteer Opportunities

Local community volunteer opportunities:
Blue Mountain Wildlife Rescue – Lynn Tompkins, 541-377-8246 (help with bird structure/facilities and with bird care)
CAPECO (develop a project, help with fundraising, visit home bound individuals, work with community groups, help at food pantry, deliver meals with Meals on Wheels, Helping Hand)
Children’s Museum of Eastern Oregon – Heidi Anderson (Executive Director) email, 541-276-1066 (spruce up the museum, repair broken exhibit components, clean and sanitize toys, welcome guests at the front desk, and help with community events like the Wiener Dog Race, Halloween Party, and other programs)
City of Pendleton – Tiffany Hegarty (Volunteer Coordinator) email, 541-966-0244 (parks/levy clean up, special events, youth activities)
Heritage Station Museum – Rebecca Foster (Museum Manager) email, 541-276-0012 (admissions desk and gift shop positions)
Juniper House Assisted Living – 541-278-0666 (play cards, craft projects, singing and other activities with residents, help serve food)
Local Churches (many need help cleaning church, weeding flower beds, repairing things, etc.)
McKay Estates Assisted Living – 541-276-1987 (play cards, craft projects, singing and other activities with residents, help serve food)
Neighbor to Neighbor Warming Station – 541-429-2680 (must be 18)
PAWS (Pendleton Animal Welfare Shelter) – email, 541-276-0181 (clean indoor/outdoor areas, walk & socialize dogs, socialize cats, laundry, sort and bag up donated cans and bottles, make minor repairs around the shelter)
Pendleton Center for the Arts – Roberta Lavadour, Executive Director, 541-278-9201 (assist in classes, gallery and sales). Bonnie Day (email)
Pendleton Chamber of Commerce – Gail Nelson, Executive Director, 541-276-7411 (help with front desk, special projects)
Pendleton Farmer’s Market – 541-969-9466 (assist with set up/take down of market, help at volunteer booth)
Pendleton Round Up – 541-276-2553
Pendleton Public Library – Tiffany Hegarty (Volunteer Coordinator) email, 541-966-0244 (children’s reading hour, shelving books, etc)
Pendleton Senior Center – 541-276-5303 (serve lunches)
Pendleton Youth Soccer Association – email (coach, referee, field/equipment maintenance)
Pioneer Relief Nursery – 541-215-1017 (respite assistance, play with children, cleaning, maintenance, organize donated clothes, help with fundraisers and office work)
Pregnancy Care Services – 541-276-5757 (office and fundraising)
Salvation Army – 541-276-3369/541-276-3301 (help in the store and plan events – feeding meals to the hungry, holiday meals)
St. Anthony Hospital – 541-966-0528
Create your own service project to benefit the town or an organization!
Help elderly neighbors by mowing lawn, weeding gardens, taking garbage out, etc.
Think about careers you’re interested in and see if there is a way to volunteer in an office or work setting to get insight into what they do (law, medical and veterinary offices)

Pendleton High School volunteer opportunities:
PHS Clubs that are involved with community service – ASTRA, National Honors Society
Tutor PHS students – see Mrs. Bixler in room 333
Check with a high school coach about helping with a youth summer camp – Track or football

Other volunteer opportunities:
Landmark Volunteers Oregon – a nonprofit Oregon organization that links high school students with “cultural” or outdoor type service projects for 2 weeks each summer.
Volunteer & Travel! There are many organizations that you can sign up with to do a high school service trip in the summer within the US or abroad. Prices vary – see list in ASPIRE office.
Volunteer Match – Not in Pendleton for the summer?  Find a volunteer opportunity where you are by searching by location.

Contact Tips:
– Prepare: consider and type an introduction about yourself and your request in clear words.
– Call: state in one sentence your request to talk with the agency’s volunteer coordinator.
– State Purpose: Use your prepared introduction to state your purpose, provide information about yourself and ask to be considered as a community volunteer.
– If YES: ask about their process.  Some agencies have a formal application process.
– If NO: Thank them and ask for recommendations for other sites, including contact name.

Student Survey

Please take a few minutes to complete the ASPIRE Intake Survey (only 15 questions!) before meeting with a mentor.  Thank you!