Youth Volunteer Network: Real Volunteer Stories: GoldCoyote

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Dressing up like a rabbit earned NOISEmaker Goldcoyote a nod from the Big Guy (the Presidential Service Award).

Inspired by Do Something, Jeff rallied his community to clean up a park and clear out drug dealers.

"The Volunteer Guru"

Who? NOISEmaker GoldCoyote, a.k.a. Sarah, 14

Where? Wisconsin

What? From dressing up like a rabbit during a parade to painting jugs for a 'penny war' benefiting St Jude's Children Hospital, GoldCoyote has found some pretty awesome ways to make NOISE in her community.

On January 18, she hit the boards and shared her MLK day plans: "I'm recieving the Presidental Service Award, for having completed 100+ hours of community service since April 21, 2001 (8 months exactly), National Youth Service Day."

YouthNOISE asked Sarah to Gimmie 5 on her fabulous accomplishment.

So, what's the Presidential Service Award all about?

Any youth grades K-College has the opportunity to earn the President's Student Service Award. The Gold Award is awarded for any youth through college who has performed at least 100 hours of service within a 12-month period. On National Youth Service Day my local youth center took part in a community service effort, and afterwards we went to a countywide party. There I signed up for the "100-Hour Challenge" and completed 119 hours before MLK Day, eight months later.

That's really cool! So, what was the award presentation like?

There was a celebration with about five hundred people. I went with friends from the youth center. There were guest speakers, poems recited, bands performing and groups that performed dances. The awards were awarded and afterwards there were workshops discussing racism, sexism, HIV, child care, and more.

What inspired you to get involved with community service?

I've seen things get pretty rough, and to be honest, there were a lot of days I didn't want to go home after school (so instead I got involved at the youth center.) The 100 Hour Challenge was the perfect motive for me to keep myself busy, and not complain about things. It is a sensational feeling when you see the look on someone's face, or hear the laughter of a child, when you've just made his or her day. It also made me realize there are a lot of people worse off than I was.

What is the most memorable experience that you've had volunteering?

One summer afternoon, I was selling t-shirts at a booth with my best friend, for a local festival. It started to pour during our shift, and everything started to flood. We had to run around like crazy trying to keep the t-shirts dry -- or at the very least, mud-free.Our shoes didn't have any traction because they were layered in mud, so we slipped and fell in a pond of very wet mud, right in front of the boy scout ice cream booth. They were laughing at us and said, "I'll give you a 10!" We had to bike home plastered in mud and soaked head to toe.

The youth center that you're a part of seems cool.

It is an after school hangout place. It is in the gym of an old school building, the gym is open, and the stage was modified to be a room for pool, foosball, computers, video games, and board games. It isn't about the games though: its mostly about having a place that welcomes you where you can just enjoy the afternoon with your friends. We take trips to play laser tag, go bowling or to the beach, hiking or out to eat. It's pretty much up to us to decide what we do. (Well, especially me since I work there now as assistant manager.)

GoldCoyote's Profile Highlights

• Getting involved in changing laws or changing the rules... is the best way to make a difference.
• I'm outraged by: people who think its easier to cause trouble than fix it

Check out these links:

Check out how Jeff and his group got rid of the drug dealers and how you can too!

NOISEmaker GoldCoyote also made NOISE in the Freedom of Speech Face Off.

Wanna make helping kids a career? Check out these Top 10 Cool Careers for Helping Kids.