Student Volunteers

Website: https://bgctc.org/volunteer

Contact: Terrence Krall, tkrall@bgctc.org or 360-438-6811

Activities: Volunteers can tutor, play games with kids, help staff run activities, and clean. Consistent volunteers can serve as 1 on 1 tutors in the 1st-6th grade tutoring program. Volunteers with a shorter or less frequent schedule can work in the games room, gym, art room, tech lab, or kinder room. Volunteers will never be alone with the kids, and there will always be at least one staff member helping to supervise each area.

Schedule: Clubs are open on school days from 3:30–6:30 pm, and volunteers are also welcome during programs operating during winter and spring break.

Requirements: Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. All volunteers must complete the Boys & Girls Club Volunteer Application and provide a color copy of a photo ID (driver's license or school ID are acceptable), and a background and reference check will be completed before volunteering. Please note that the background check can take a few weeks to process.

Website: https://capitollandtrust.org/

Contact: americorps@capitollandtrust.org or 360-943-3012 ext 0, then 1

Activities: Planting native plants, removing invasive plants and debris, human impact removal/mitigation, maintaining trails, and watering in the Summer.

Schedule: Events typically take place in the morning to early afternoon on both weekdays and weekends. Usually, 2-4 weekend events are scheduled each month to provide opportunities for student and working volunteers.

Requirements: All volunteers are required to sign a waiver each year in January. For youth volunteers under 18, a parent/guardian signature is required for the waiver. The waiver can be completed on paper at the events or electronically in advance.

Fun Facts: Capitol Land Trust has conserved 77 properties, 6,000 acres, and 15 miles of Puget Sound shoreline!

Website: https://crisis-clinic.org/volunteer/

Contact: Marissa Strobel, mstrobel@crisis-clinic.org or 360-586-2888 ext 114

Activities: Student volunteers attend a 6-week training program to learn skills and prepare to answer the Crisis Line. After training, students would commit to one, 4-hour shift per week to cover the Crisis Line (anyone under 18 will be accompanied by an adult). The clinic environment is friendly and casual.

Schedule: The first weekend of training includes Friday evening (6-8:30 pm), Saturday and Sunday (9 am - 4:30 pm). After the initial weekend, each training is on Thursday evening (6-9 pm) for 6 weeks. After completing the training, volunteers can choose what time they would like their weekly 4-hour shift to be.

Requirements: Youth volunteers must be at least 15 years old. Anyone under 18 must obtain parental consent. All interested volunteers must complete a Phone Line Volunteer Application.

Fun Facts: Each year, the Crisis Clinic answers over 9,000 calls from the community!

Website: https://harlequinproductions.org

Contact: volunteers@harlequinproductions.org

Activities: Students typically volunteer as Ushers or Ticket Checkers. Ushers help greet patrons as they arrive, pass out programs, assist patrons to their assigned seats, and alert the House Manager of any seating issues. Ticket Checkers also help greet patrons, check that patrons have a valid ticket upon entering, and click them in as they enter so the theatre has an accurate audience count. There may also be backstage opportunities for students with some experience to help with Strike and Load in of sets.

Schedule: Performances are generally on weekend evenings and some afternoon matinees.

Requirements: Volunteers are preferred to be 16 years old, but exceptions may be made on a case by case basis.

Website: https://www.nthurston.k12.wa.us/volunteer

Contact: volunteersupport@nthurston.k12.wa.us or 360-412-4451

Activities: Many NTPS students enjoy volunteering in our own district — often at the elementary or middle school they previously attended. Students can help out with special events (movie nights, festivals, etc.), tutoring, and classroom or office help.

Schedule: Regularly scheduled volunteering typically takes place before or after school. Special events usually take place on weeknight evenings, and occasionally weekends.

Requirements: Students must complete an online volunteer application that will be reviewed by their school principal. Middle and high school students are welcome to serve as student volunteers.

Website: https://olympiafilmsociety.org/volunteer/

Contact: volunteer@olympiafilmsociety.org or 360-754-6670 ext. 21

Activities: Volunteer in the box office, serve popcorn behind the concession counter, tear tickets, and project movies.

Schedule: We are open for movie screenings in the afternoon and evenings Thursday through Sunday, and have special events throughout each month.

Requirements: All volunteers must provide proof of full vaccination for COVID-19 (this means 2 weeks after your last shot). Volunteers under the age of 18 must fill out a Youth Volunteer Release Form that must be signed by a parent or guardian.

Fun Fact: The Capitol Theater, home of the Olympia Film Society, was built in 1924 and is nearing it's 100th birthday!

Website: http://www.relayforlifeofthurston.org

Contact: Amanda & Alexa, thurstonrelay.eventleads@gmail.com

Activities: Student volunteers can help with setup, direct parking, transport team gear, light luminaria, serve cake, run activities (like scavenger hunts or dodgeball!) and more. Snacks are provided!

Schedule: Relay for Life takes place each summer over a long weekend.

Website: https://www.southsoundreading.org

Contact: Lynn Neeley lneeley@nthurston.k12.wa.us

South Sound Reading Foundation (SSRF) is offering 2 hours of community service time for NTPS students on the second Saturday of each month from 9:00-11:00 am, from October 2024 through June 2025. Students must register for this opportunity. Because of space limitations, only 10 slots are available (no exceptions). Students must also be NTPS-approved volunteers.

Requirements: Students must be approved NTPS volunteers. Sign up in CERVIS.

Website: https://streamteam.info/

Email: streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us

Activities: Join Stream Team to perform a wide variety of activities to improve water quality in our community. Plant trees & shrubs to repair riparian buffers, remove invasive species like English ivy, attend a workshop to build bird, bee, bug and bat houses, teach the public about Pacific salmon, and much more!

Schedule: Stream Team events occur year round on weekdays and weekends. All events are posted on the Stream Team website calendar. If you'd like to receive an email with each month's upcoming events, email streamteam@ci.lacey.wa.us and title the subject Subscribe.

Requirements: Each event will note if there is an age requirement. Most events require registration, which can be done by clicking Register on the Stream Team website. Each participant must fill out a liability waiver.

Website: https://thurstontogether.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer

Contact: Nora Flemming de Sandoval, 
ndesandoval@thurstontogether.org or call/text 360-999-0440

Activities: Student volunteers can engage younger students with reading, homework help, or by sharing an interest or activity you love! Programs this year include focus on STEAM and bilingual (Spanish-English) activities.

Schedule: Before school at Chinook & Nisqually Middle Schools. After school at Lydia Hawk and Pleasant Glade Elementary Schools. Student volunteers are welcome on a regular basis (once a week, once a month), for a short burst of time (every day for two weeks, or during the summer session. 

Requirements: Volunteers are background checked, and must submit an online application.

Website: https://www.unitedyouthmovement.org/

Contact: unitedyouth19@gmail.com

Activity: UYM volunteers provide service to the Thurston County Food Bank, and partner with United Way to learn skills and provide service by cleaning parks, painting, installing flooring, etc. UYM also offers career connections and educational opportunities with local businesses.

Schedule: After school and weekend opportunities are available.

Requirements: Students aged 14-19 are welcome.

Fun facts: Nearly all UYM staff are NTPS alums!

Website: https://tcfb.org/

Contact: volunteers@tcfb.org or 360-352-8597 x 252

Activities: The Thurston County Food Bank offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. In addition to working in our warehouse or pantries, we also have volunteers who do home delivery, farming, food preparation, and more! We are dedicated to eliminating hunger in our community.

Schedule: Please refer to our volunteer sign-up page for current volunteer opportunities.
https://thurston-county-food-bank.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/

Requirements: Students must complete a volunteer application (available on our website) before volunteering with the Thurston County Food Bank. Please note that we require a parent or guardian to provide a digital signature on the volunteer application. Youth aged 12 and above are welcome to volunteer with us.
 

The Varsity Letter in Community Service is only awarded once during your high school career. You are welcome to apply at any time once you have met the hours requirement; you do not have to wait until your senior year.

If you have already earned your school's varsity letter, you will receive a community service star patch in the same style as a varsity letter.

You may not have a family member be the verification contact for your volunteer hours. You will need to establish a contact at the service organization who can verify your volunteer service. Even in cases where a family member works for the service organization, it is highly preferred to have someone unrelated to you as the verification contact for your service hours.

You are required to have at least one hour of school-related volunteering. Some examples would be:

• Participating in a community service project through a school club (NHS, Key Club, DECA, etc.)
• Volunteering for PTA organized events within the school or school district
• Tutoring peers or younger students through a school or club tutoring program
• Helping with an after-school club at an elementary school (chess club, school play, etc.)
• Mentoring in a NTPS school through Big Brothers, Big Sisters or another organization

Faith-related volunteer hours serving the community at large will count toward Varsity Letter requirements. This means that the work performed must serve more than just the faith-based organization. Some examples would be:

• Volunteering with a food bank, clothing bank, or meal service operated by a faith-based organization
• Volunteering with members of the faith-based organization for an outside non-profit (501c3) community-based organization (ex. running a church group food drive for a local food bank)
• Volunteering on a mission trip that is not solely based on evangelizing (ex. building homes, making repairs or clearing debris after a disaster, digging wells, etc.)

Service hours that benefit only the faith-based organization will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:

• Volunteering in a church choir or band
• Volunteering to usher for church services or events
• Volunteering in the church nursery during services or classes
• Volunteering to doorbell or operate a booth to evangelize or pass out faith-based information
• Volunteering for Vacation Bible School or similar faith-sponsored day camps

Volunteer service as a camp counselor will count toward Varsity Letter requirements if the camp is associated with a non-profit organization and serves more than a particular faith-based organization.

You may count 8 hours per day for volunteering as a camp counselor. If you have documentation proving that you served more hours per day, you may submit it with your application and will be credited accordingly after successful verification with your provided contact.

Club meeting or activity time that is spent organizing and implementing a single or ongoing service project that benefits more than just your school or student body will count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:

• Volunteering with your school club to organize a school food drive to donate to a local food bank
• Performing with your school club or performing arts group for a senior center, nursing home, daycare, etc. outside of school hours and not for school credit
• Volunteering at a middle or elementary school to tutor student or help at special events

Club meeting or activity time to discuss other club business, or that only benefits your club, school, or student body will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:

• Making posters for a school activity
• Holding a fundraiser to benefit a school club/team (ex. a car wash to buy team uniforms)
• Performing with your school performing arts group at your school
• Hosting international exchange students

Since you are a member of the organization, volunteer hours can only be counted when you are doing service for other people or an outside community group/non-profit. On your application, it is helpful to include a brief explanation of how your particular activities benefit the community outside of just your organization members.

If your organization is hosting an event that benefits an outside agency, then volunteer hours served for that event will count toward Varsity Letter requirements (ex. collecting donations for a clothes closet or food bank, hosting a benefit concert for another non-profit, and teaching or mentoring activities). Hours served that only benefit the organization of which you are a member will not count toward the Varsity Letter requirements (ex. running a Scouts meeting, participating in a group ceremony).

If your school offers a Varsity Letter in Sports Management for volunteering for a varsity level team, then your hours served as a sports team manager will not count. However, if your volunteer time is served at another school with younger students, your hours will count (ex. you are a high school student helping to coach/manage a 5th grade track team).

Any babysitting, yard work, or housework performed with a non-profit will count toward Varsity Letter requirements.

In cases where you are assisting an individual on your own, the individual must not be related to you and must have a documented need by meeting one of the following criteria:

• Receive Medicaid benefits (low-income senior citizen)
• Receive SSDI (individual with a disability)

We will need to contact the recipient and verify that they meet the above criteria.

Hours served fostering animals through a non-profit animal agency will count toward Varsity Letter requirements, up to 2 hours per day. The animal agency must be a non-profit (501c3) organization, and you must have documentation showing approved foster parent status with that organization.

Any community service or volunteer hours performed as a requirement for a class will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements.

Hours spent job-shadowing will not count for this award, even if it is with a non-profit or school organization.