Springtime,听a great time to look ahead! A time to think about what we want to do when we emerge from hibernation, self-quarantine, or a city ordered mandate to stay at home. It’s a first for our collective society to have the luxury of time! I want to propose using that time to think of how we, as a community, can emerge from this experience with a spring in our step and drive to do good in the world. It’s with this in mind that my thoughts turn to volunteering!

April is National听Volunteer Month. Organizations across the nation benefit from volunteerism. While we may not be able to get out and engage as we did in the past, there is no shortage of need for help and an abundance of demand for connection. Now is a moment of opportunity! Let’s use this time to think about who we are and what we want for our future — to think about volunteering, getting involved, and building community.

A couple of months back, before our lives changed dramatically, I had the opportunity to speak with David Levinson, founder and head of听. Big Sunday is a hub of volunteer activities in the greater Los Angeles area. It is a non-profit organization that organizes a wide array of volunteer activities and also supports other non-profit volunteer programs. Mr. Levinson emphatically believes that the key to successful volunteering is to connect to each person’s passion! Big Sunday’s goal is to support and facilitate finding every person who could get involved. The organization is committed to its mission: “Absolutely everyone has some way that they can help somebody else!”

There is a听听arm of Big Sunday that encourages youth to get involved in volunteerism in ways that are organic and fun for kids of different ages.听Check out their page; sign up for their daily听e-mail which includes ways you can connect and ways you can stay entertained. Or if you have someone (anyone, anywhere) you’d like to sign up for a friendly call to keep them connected, you can do that too!

Just because we are isolated physically doesn’t mean we have to give up supporting our community. In response to the current crisis, the website is calling for over 70,000 virtual volunteers to fill the need. Organizations across the nation benefit from volunteerism. While we may not be able to get out and engage as we did in the past, there is no shortage of need for help and an abundance of demand for connection. Now is a moment of opportunity! A time to try something new and learn more about who we are and want we want for our world when we ultimately leave our homes for the great outdoors.

During this extraordinary time, let’s connect, let’s grow. After this current situation, when I see you again, let’s do what we can for the future we want!

Absolutely the world will be different听when this is over…let’s think about how we want it to be different听and then make it different, in a good way — A spring cleaning kind of way!

Working as an intern for the Institute for Educational Advancement has been a wonderful experience, the highlight of my summer. You might think I鈥檇 be an old hand in 优蜜视频; after all, I attended the summer camp for the past eight years before I aged out, the last two years as a member of the camp鈥檚 leadership program. Then I volunteered as a general assistant with . But there was plenty to learn at 优蜜视频, and it was great to be able to give back to the program and people that gave so much to me.

Working in an office environment was something new to me as this was my first job, and my first paycheck. I was mainly working with the Academy team, but I also helped with the and , which is part of the 优蜜视频 website. I edited entries, checked that information was correct and tried to sort through the tedious task of straightening out over 900 entries. In addition to working with GRC, I had many other tasks that involved similar skills and had similar requirements. I created templates and inputted surveys into online survey analysis programs. The challenge was to stay focused on tasks which could become tedious or monotonous but needed constant attention to detail. From this, I learned quite possibly the most important lesson of my internship.

That lesson was to develop the ability to find a purpose in everything I did. From getting a student water to the aforementioned important and detailed tasks, everything is part of a larger and important program. Getting student water could help them have a better learning experience. My seemingly tedious work on the Gifted Resource Center not only helps improve people’s experience when using it but took something off the plate of other staff, allowing them to work on other tasks.

This is not to say working at 优蜜视频 is all tedious paperwork. The most enjoyable component of my work at 优蜜视频 was the opportunity to work closely with students and teachers in the Academy classes. I learned many skills I am sure I will take not only to my next job but into my future career, while still having an enjoyable time. The kids were fun; the teachers were amazing. I accrued the nickname 鈥渢all Kate,鈥� as there was a student named Kate in one of the classes where I assisted. When I think about the kids I met, I can鈥檛 help but smile. The experiences I have had over the course of the summer in my internship taught me a lot and will stay with me for years to come.

to learn more about volunteer opportunities at 优蜜视频. Help us spread the word and share this blog post with others! 

On February 9, 2019, 优蜜视频 celebrated its 20^th anniversary! The event took place at Annandale Golf Club with over 100 guests in attendance. Student volunteers played music, facilitated jeopardy and mingled with guests. One family even put on a photo booth for the event! It was truly a wonderful night filled with old and new community members celebrating 20 years of friendship and services for gifted youth.

The evening also honored several key players in 优蜜视频鈥檚 development as an organization: . The honorees flew in from all over the country for the occasion.

Student speakers, Nico and Alondra, shared about their experiences with 优蜜视频 and the impact that the programs, teachers and support have had on their life.

After dinner, a there was a DJ, dancing, desert, more jeopardy and photos.

All in all the evening was a wonderful success. Thank you to all of those who helped support this event, including: Dennis Finnerman, Jill Hawkins & MHP Events, the sponsors and guests. We are so grateful for all of you!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Giant Sequoia

The Bradley Foundation
The Burke Family

Jeffrey Pine

Betsy Jones & Ted Mergenthaler
The McDonell Family
Teri and John Valentine

Live Oak

The Balbuena Family
Becky and Peter Knell
The Lee Family
Math Academy
Parents of Alexander Miller
Rodriguez, Horii, Choi & Cafferata, LLP
The Tracey Family

Media Sponsor

Pasadena Now

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