Cathedral High School students worked together to grow geraniums, which were then donated for neighbourhood beautification projects funded by HCF small grants.

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Teens making a difference

By Peter Van Harten
The Hamilton Spectator TEENS (Feb 1, 2006)

Teens — they're changing the world.

"And they are not prepared to postpone their contribution to change until later in their lives, and that's huge," says Christopher Cutler.

Statistics show the 15 to 19 age group has the highest volunteer rate of all volunteers.

Cutler, executive director of Volunteer Hamilton, is reflecting on the six "remarkable" finalists for The Hamilton Spectator Youth Volunteer of the Year award.

Tamara Hoppe, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Highland Secondary School in Dundas, was awarded the top honour at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce event.

Today you're seeing the correct photograph of her in the paper. Yesterday's Spectator photo was not her, but she was gracious about the mistake.

She obviously does a much better job of keeping track of all the photos of the various projects that get grant money from the Youth Advisory Council at the Hamilton Community Foundation.

Hoppe is the young historian of the group that teaches other teen groups in Hamilton how to raise funds and that gave out an average of $700 to 21 schools submitting funding requests.

Assessing those grant requests for more than $13,000 to plant trees, start up recycling programs and other environmental projects by students is just one item on Hoppe's long list of achievements.

She has been involved in student government since Grade 9 and is now school council president; she leads a homework group for younger students every Tuesday at Dundas library; was involved in running a 30-hour famine event that raised over $8,000; made and sold bracelets to raise money for hurricane Katrina victims.

"When I look back on my life and on high school, I want to know that I contributed," Hoppe says.

She spends about 10-12 hours a week volunteering. On top of that she plays flute in the school band, practises piano and makes some spare money tutoring others in calculus and chemistry.

She maintains a 95 per cent average in science subjects and wants to be a doctor.

Chuck Reid, the associate director of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, wonders how Hoppe and all other active teens find the time to study and do all that volunteer work.

"They have a true passion to give to the community and when I read the resumes of those six finalists, I was blown away," he said.

Krystena Wan, in Grade 12 at Ancaster High School, is involved in anti-smoking campaigns, food drives, Kids Help Phone, Terry Fox Run, student council, tutoring and various fundraising drives.

Janet Vanderhout, in Grade 12 at Ancaster High school, is involved in school council, garbage cleanup programs, food drives, leadership summits, and taking inner-city students Christmas shopping with raised funds. She played water polo and helped teach swimming.

Carly Thomas, in Grade 12 at Parkside High School, is involved with Girl Guides Canada, student leadership, Rockton Fair volunteering, school ambassadorship, youth camps and fundraising.

Qurratulain (Annie) Tayyab, in Grade 12 at Westdale High School, is involved in helping immigrant youth at the Settlement and Integration Organization, student leadership, diversity awareness and fundraising for War Child Canada.

Melanie Ilnisky, in Grade 12 at Parkside High School, is involved in anti-racism and anti-bullying programs, Junior Civitan, clothing drives for refugee students, student leadership, blood donor clinics and Sunday school teaching.

Hoppe says some students turn off volunteering if they have a bad experience or placement while doing their mandatory 40 hours of volunteering to graduate from high school. But most learn to love it and are driven to do more of it.

And Cutler at Volunteer Hamilton says more and more students are volunteering. Cutler was a "lonely youth activist" in the 1970s handing out brochures highlighting baby formula boycotts in the Third World and the plight of migrant workers.