They say too much of a good thing can make you sick, but Cassie Smith, junior at Lakeview High School, begs to differ.
Putting in 100 hours of community service at the end of her sophomore year, volunteer work is one of Smith's main priorities.
"My freshman year, I made the goal to serve 100 hours of community service by the time I've graduated, and I can proudly say I've reached that," Smith said. "I'm working toward tripling it. It's not that I set goals for working 'x' amount of hours, but rather, how much can I give without overworking myself."
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Smith
Smith's hours have been amassed by many activities: ushering for Kent Trumbull branch's summer theater shows, being a counselor for Kids Camp Wild, tutoring for Lakeview High School's Bulldog Buddies program and attending a mission trip to Honduras. This year alone, she volunteered 24 hours as a counselor, about 14 hours as an usher and more than 20 hours for tutoring.
When asked how volunteer work has affected her, she replied, "Truth be told, it's given me a chance to be in the community and see how I can make a difference for someone else. If I can make an experience enjoyable for someone, I'm willing to make the effort."
Last January, Smith traveled with her grandparents and VOSH-Ohio (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) on a trip to Tegucigalpa and Cedros, Honduras. Even as the youngest person present, she helped the group distribute more than 3,500 pairs of eyeglasses to people in need.
"The community service I take part in never feels like work; I try to find ways to give back that interest me, so that I continue to volunteer," she said.