Community Service Spotlight Winners

Community Service Spotlight 2022-2023

Throughout the school year, PTSA will spotlight Eastlake students who are serving the community in thoughtful or creative ways. If you know of someone who is contributing their time and effort to make a difference, please tell us about them. Teachers, parents, peers, and community members can let us know how students are helping others by nominating them for PTSA's Community Service Spotlight.

Month	Student Name	Spotlight Info
September 2022 October 2022	Wolfe Clark Luke Simon	Since losing her grandfather to treatment-resistant esophageal cancer, Wolfe Clark has become an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society. She began her work with ACS by participating in Paws 4 A Cause, where she was responsible for making a video thanking event sponsors. As a freshman in high school, Wolfe held her own event benefitting the American Cancer Society called Designs for Dreams. Designs for Dreams was entirely student run, with a leadership team comprised of Eastlake students. Over the course of six months, they raised more than $1000 for the organization and provided 70+ hours of community service to volunteers. Last year, Wolfe served as the entertainment lead for Relay for Life, North King County and will be the event lead for the 2022-2023 event. Wolfe says, “Volunteering with the American Cancer Society has changed my life. Through my volunteer work, I am able to support a cause that I am passionate about while learning valuable skills including communication and organization. I love the opportunities I’ve received to grow and learn through my work. I also enjoy the social aspect of my role and the team environment that the organization fosters." Luke Simon, EHS Sophomore, is a volunteer with Pasado’s Safe Haven. A sanctuary for victims of animal cruelty and neglect, Pasado’s Safe Haven was founded in 1997 in Sultan, WA. Luke began his volunteer work there in July 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, and continues lend his time and talents to the organization as one of their lead animal enrichment caretakers. He strongly believes in the mission of the sanctuary. It is important to Luke that people understand animal cruelty is something that exists, that ending it is something we all need to strive for, and that we should offer kindness to animals that have come from neglected pasts. When Luke started volunteering with Pasado’s Safe Haven, he was assigned to landscape maintenance and cleaning stalls for sheep, goats, and pigs. Although it might not sound appealing, the hard labor was extremely rewarding as the animals would hang around him wanting pets and scratches. It felt like a connection of gratitude was being exchanged. He has also worked on cutting fruits and vegetables that are served to the animals based on their dietary needs. Now, as an animal enrichment caretaker, he is charged with preparing and administering enrichment activities for the farm animals. He makes vegetable popsicles for the donkeys and cows, peanut butter pinecones covered in seed for the aviary, and he builds seek-and-find hay boxes for the ducks to search for mealworms. Sometimes he even reads Harry Potter to the alpacas! Learn more about Pasado’s Safe Haven and their volunteer opportunities
November 2022	Piper Bergstrom	EHS Freshman, Piper Bergstrom, is in our Community Service Spotlight this month. Piper has found a way to combine her love of baking with her heart for service. While looking for volunteer opportunities in the community, a good friend introduced her to Open Kitchen in Redmond. Open Kitchen provides free, hot meals to anyone in need, every Wednesday evening. Last spring, Piper volunteered to bake cookies for one of the Wednesday night meals. She had so much fun that she has continued to bake for them each week. Piper, who hopes to attend culinary school someday, pushes herself to come up with new recipes. She plans her recipes over the weekend, prepares the dough on Tuesdays, bakes and delivers her cookies to Open Kitchen on Wednesdays. She loves knowing that her contribution has become an important part of the weekly meals and that the organizers, as well as the patrons, can count on her. When she shows up with her latest homemade goodies, Piper can tell by the look on people’s faces that she is making a difference. She feels happy to help others and says, “I will continue to do it as long as I can.” Check out this link to Open Kitchen for more information about their Wednesday night dinners and how to help.
January 2023	Praveena Mahendran	EHS Sophomore, Praveena Mahendran got involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in 2021 as a candidate for the Student Visionaries of the Year Program, a philanthropic leadership development program for high school students. Tasked with raising thousands of dollars and spreading awareness about blood cancer research, she led a successful fundraising campaign that also involved recruiting and managing a team of volunteers. She discovered that she was passionate about the cause and capable of making an impact on cancer research. Praveena decided to take her involvement with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society a step further and joined their Seattle Ambassadors Program, volunteering as a mentor for new Student Visionaries candidates, directly supporting their fundraising campaigns and outreach. Her dedication and leadership skills recently helped her secure the role of Seattle Ambassador Co-Chair, a position that has her overseeing all LLS Student Ambassadors in the Seattle region. Praveena believes that getting involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society was one of the best decisions she has ever made. “I truly feel like I’ve found my place in LLS. I’ve gotten to work and connect with some of the most amazing people, and I am happy to advocate and support an organization with a mission that I’ve always had a passion for.” Learn more about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and how to support their efforts to fund lifesaving research.
February 2023	Ronny Erlich	EHS Senior, Ronny Erlich, is the current president of Kids Coming Together, a local non-profit led by high school volunteers who organize community service opportunities for kids in grades 3-8. Prior to serving as president of Kids Coming Together, Ronny was on their Youth Board where she worked with other student volunteers to maintain the KCT website, write newsletters, create social media posts, and plan monthly kid-friendly community service events. Ronny is dedicated to KCT’s mission to teach younger kids the importance of serving the community while providing them with opportunities to make meaningful connections. Their events are targeted toward kids who might be struggling socially (new to the area, shy, etc.) as well as those who are extroverted and want to help others make friends. The KCT service events might include anything from caring for farm animals, doing art projects with memory care residents, to creating cards for teachers or making dog toys for the humane society. During the pandemic, many service projects were put on hold so KCT turned to online events to keep kids connected and engaged. Ronny says that she saw “unlikely friendships form, even during virtual meetings." She adds that "getting to see the impact that the events we run have on kids, makes me see the influence Kids Coming Together has on the community.” For more information about Kids Coming Together and how to get involved, check out their website: kidscomingtogether.org
March 2023	Noah Zahn	EHS senior, Noah Zahn, is a volunteer with Athletes for Kids (AFK) a mentor-buddy program that pairs high school athletes with younger kids who have special needs. Their mission is to strengthen communities by modeling acceptance, inclusion, and respect for all individuals. Noah got involved with AFK during sophomore year at the recommendation of his P.E. teacher, Mr. Snell. It seemed like a great way to share his strengths, connect with, and serve the community. He was soon paired up with a child on the autism spectrum, and the rest is history. As a mentor, Noah meets up regularly with his buddy. They might get together at home, at a favorite restaurant, a local pool, or trampoline park. Noah uses their time together to model respect and inclusion while helping navigate any social challenges that his buddy might experience. Through their meetings, the two have developed a true friendship. Noah says he has been able to “learn from some of the nicest people I've ever met about being a better listener and having more patience.” He admits that he and his buddy learn from each other and it gives him a good feeling to be that support for someone. “To have a truly personal and fun connection and seeing my buddy grow and mature over the years is an incredible feeling! I am so proud to be able to commit my time to AFK. Knowing that I'm seen as not just a mentor but a friend, is so rewarding. I am lucky to have formed this kind of relationship.” To learn more about Athletes for Kids, check out their website and find out how you can get involved.
May 2023	Anastasia "Hihtoo" Kanakasabesan	Anastasia “Hihtoo” Kanakasabesan, EHS freshman, has been active with the Eastside Native American Education Program (ENAEP) since 3rd grade. The ENAEP works with Native students and families to facilitate community with activities and events planned throughout the school year. Through her involvement with ENAEP, Hihtoo has had the opportunity to learn about her ancestors, tribal language, practices, and culture. She has become an advocate for Native American representation and accuracy at LWSD school board meetings, speaking up to our state Senate on not allowing Native Americans to be school mascots (Bill 1356), standing by the ENAEP program on Indigenous Peoples Day, singing loud and proud and playing the drum at events, and teaching peers and younger kids about the program. Hihtoo graciously gives her time and talent back to this organization that has given her so much. Additionally, Hihtoo is involved with the EHS Equity Book Club. As a freshman she “wanted to be a part of every club, meet everyone, and dive headfirst into the EHS community.” After discovering the Equity Book Club, which is open to everyone—teachers, staff, students—she realized that she’d found a group of people “willing to have the uncomfortable conversations.” For Hihtoo this too is an extension of her service to the community as it promotes thoughtful dialog with others while sharing perspectives on a range of topics and experiences. “Community service for me as a whole has always been about showing appreciation, respect, and helping those who have helped you positively along the way. These two organizations are just a couple of groups of amazing people who have welcomed and allowed me to be myself, exposing me to opportunities I never thought were possible.”