Lion’s Heart Teen Volunteers and Leaders

Testimonials(8)

• I have found that Lion's Heart has opened the door to incredible opportunities, that I may have not otherwise been prepared for or comfortable with. For example, this summer I will be in Kenya doing research with bean farmers to increase crop yields. My volunteer experience was definitely a factor in my selection and my willingness to engage in this project. My takeaway from Lion's Heart is that it is an organization that promotes the development of community-based young adults who gain an appreciation and passion for other people. I hope that Lion's Heart continues to grow and influence young adults, as it did me.

  - Carly E. - January 1, 2016

• I’m so glad I had the opportunity to be an intern for Lion’s Heart and learn more about the organization. Through this experience I was able to meet the amazing people that work hard to make Lion’s Heart everything that it is today. Whenever I came into the office, I was excited to see what new projects I could work on. This was a different work environment for me and it was awesome to meet the friendly people in the office. My favorite part about this internship was how relaxed everything seemed. I never felt stressed or worried about doing a project wrong or not finished in time because everyone was very helpful. I also loved our intern focus group! It was really fun to make the intern video and brainstorm ideas together about our project. I hope that I’m able to find time later in the school year to come help, but if not I definitely will apply for the internship again!

  - Reese T - March 12, 2016

• I joined Lion’s Heart three years ago because I wanted to better my community with kids my age and with a group of people that are going through the same things that I am going through. I ended up enjoying the Lion’s Heart experience so much, that when the opportunity to intern at the organization’s headquarters was made known to me, I immediately knew that this was something that I wanted to do. Thankfully, after I applied and interviewed I was given the opportunity to intern. The jobs that the interns did consisted of administrative work around the office, social media posting, blogging, and brainstorming in a focus group. The way an organization manages their social media accounts and the amount of work it takes to do that amazed me, and I was fortunate enough to learn a little bit about the way it works. Also, in the focus group, I was able to give my input of what I thought could improve Lion’s Heart, from a member’s perspective. Overall, it was very interesting because I had been a part of this organization for so long, but had no idea the hard work and dedication that it took to ensure that operations went smoothly and that Lion’s Heart was achieving what it needed to achieve. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about Lion’s Heart or find a summer internship opportunity that has a charitable purpose. I believe that charity and community service are pivotal in the development of a community, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to intern at a place that has charity and service embedded in its roots.

  - Matt M. - May 23, 2016

• I have watched the kids grow, learn and expand their compassion and respect for people and their community.

  - Debbie Powell - December 3, 2015

• We loved the extra hands and would welcome them again! What a great organization!

  - Kathy Linderoth - March 14, 2014

• Lions heart had a huge impact on what I have done over the years. The confidence I obtained leading that new student run community service group has given me skills I still use today. Coming to UCSB the first thing I wanted to do was get involved. My freshmen year I joined Alpha Phi Sorority and was elected community service chair shortly after. I could not have taken a role like that my freshmen year of college without the skills I obtained in Lion's Heart. In my few short years in Lion's Heart, I learned valuable lessons such as knowing how to motivate others to become passionate about a cause, reaching out to community members, and planning events people want to attend. Those skills directly benefited me! I co-founded a cheerleading team for children with disabilities, and I also continued my involvement in Best Buddies organization, which I now am finishing up my 8th year with. I was hired on the spot with Path Point, a company which supports adults with disabilities, because of my lengthy background of volunteer work. But I couldn't have done it without the passion to help others which has only strengthened since my time at Lion's Heart. Lion's Heart was more than just a community service organization for students. It was a place where I learned to be a leader of my peers, where I learned what I was passionate about, and where I found the confidence and skills to go out in the world and help people.

  - Noelle B. - February 15, 2012

• Even though most of the people in my graduating class would probably remember me as a hooligan, I can honestly say that Lion’s Heart had a pretty significant impact on my life. After graduating from high school, I soon became extremely involved in volunteering at a medical clinic and helping the truly underserved people, something that was engrained in me after years of community service with Lion’s Heart. Volunteering in this clinic helped reveal my passion for medicine, which finally focused my studies onto pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant. I soon became president of the pre-physician assistant club at SDSU which opened multiple new doors for volunteering and becoming a leader in my community which allowed me to provide others with the same volunteering experiences that I had, all stemming from Lion’s Heart. All of these experiences stemmed from my drive to help the underserved community that began when I joined Lion’s Heart. These experiences gave me the opportunity to attend the Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies at the University of Southern California and allows me to continue to make huge differences in the underserved community, all while practicing my passion. Even though Lion’s Heart didn’t spark my passion for medicine, it did help me to appreciate the life that I live and motivated me to become the humanitarian that I am now.

  - Brandon P. - July 23, 2014

• Lion’s Heart differentiates itself because it is not an organization where your parents hold your hand. YOU as the teenager have the power. I believe this is the greatest aspect of Lion’s Heart because once you go to college, your parents are no longer there to hold your hand either. Lion’s Heart prepares teens to comfortably transition performing community service from high school to college. Personally, Lion’s Heart has made a very positive effect on my life. At the end of my freshman year of college, I helped co-found an organization called FrogSpeak, which is aimed to provide a network of support for students at TCU dealing with mental illness. The exposure and experience that I gained from Lion’s Heart as a teen allowed me to strengthen my passion for community service in my adult life.

  - Darby C. - September 17, 2015