Teens Giving Back has been working with Mr. Lynn Ward and a few other students on a project to help the homeless and impoverished in our local community. Why do you volunteer? I volunteer because I enjoy giving back to the community which has given so much to me. A sense of self gratitude always comes from knowing that someone or some cause has benefitted from my actions. I also recognize that I have the responsibility to assist where I am able. How did you choose these organizations? Most of the organizations of which I am a part deal with the In this issue, we feature two high school students who spend their extra time volunteering for causes within our communities and founding new ones to help those in need. Martha “Mattie” Reynolds school and local community. I feel that taking part in services in which I am able to see the day to day results become more meaningful than large and impersonal service opportunities. I also believe that seeing such results of service work is inspirational for others. When people take notice of service work and are able to witness its successes, they often feel the desire to donate their own time and services. What are the benefits of volunteering? Volunteering offers the most remarkable feeling for every individual involved. No matter how much service one may give, it benefits someone in some way. Whether a person may volunteer for a few hours at a time or regularly, good comes from all services just the same. Sometimes, even something as simple as added hope can mean so much to so many. What are your future goals in college and beyond? In the future, I hope to extend my service through a position in the government. I am looking into majoring in political science or international relations. I would be interested in taking courses in social entrepreneurship which teach how to form working non-profit community service organizations. A senior at Fauquier High School, Mattie is the president of the Fauquier High School chapter of both the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society and an active participant in both, taking part in multiple service and fundraising opportunities. She has participated in the school’s Relay for Life team for four years both fundraising and participating in the “relay walk.” Recently, Mattie Gates Bierhuizen enjoy it: Watching the faces of those that I help is very rewarding and satisfying. Looking back on the 1700 [plus] volunteer hours that I’ve given during the past four years, I realize that although each hour may not have held a special meaning at the time, the memories and personal growth I gathered through the multiple interactions and experiences of each program was rewarding and important. How did you choose these organizations? At first I started out working with organizations that were already well established, like 4-H, the Hospital’s Jr. Auxiliary, and the USDA Food Bank, but I soon began establishing programs of my own. Four years ago, I started the S.T.O.P. program which stands for Stop Throwing Out Pharmaceuticals. I saw the need to prevent the further pollution of our fresh water resources with unwanted pharmaceuticals, so I developed a take-back program, which has kept over 2200 pounds of dangerous pharmaceuticals from ending up in our landfills or water supplies. Last year I started Culpeper Robotics because I saw a need for more Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (S.T.E.M.) programs in my community. With the help of my sponsors, my mentors, and the schools and newspaper, my team is growing stronger every day. We are actively participating in many areas of robotic design, including programming, system engineering, team building, and strategic development. What are the benefits of volunteering? Besides that it makes me feel good about what I am doing, I really enjoy the variety of people that I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know over the years. I have met some very unique and interesting personalities through my volunteer activities and I know that I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without having met all of them and interacting with them. Both of my own programs have really taught me how important Teens Giving Back continued on page 23 Gates Bierhuizen is a graduating senior at Eastern View High School. He is currently serving on the Culpeper Public School’s Student Advisory Board, is Creator and Captain of Culpeper Robotics, and is President of the Culpeper 4-H Honor Club. He plans to become an engineer, but he wants to continue seeking ways to volunteer and serve his community. Why do you volunteer? First of all, I do it because I 20 Piedmont Family Magazine 2013 • Issue 2