JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO (Aug. 4, 2015) -- A group of 73 enthusiastic teens between 14-17 years old sacrificed part of their summer vacation to participate in Brooke Army Medical Center's Summer Youth Program from June 22 to July 31.
This program which has grown in popularity throughout the years is a partnership between BAMC and the American Red Cross.
The teens volunteered their time to work in a variety of areas throughout San Antonio Military Medical Center including Behavioral Health, Research, Pathology, Surgery, Facilities Management, Hospital Education, Optometry, Patient Administration, Provost Marshall Office and Supply Management.
"They worked in just about every department that we have here and that's over 100 different departments and sections," said Army Col. Richard Evans, deputy commander for nursing.
Evans addressed the teen volunteers during an awards ceremony Aug. 4. "I will tell you that what you did by infusing the hallways with your youth, vigor and the exploratory way in which you approached this opportunity stimulated our staff to be more engaged with what we do each and every day," the deputy commander said.
"By instilling that enthusiasm you actually made a difference to the patients who walked through those hallways. I can't thank you enough because the number one reason we are here is to serve the patients and their families … that is an honorable and noble thing."
Seventeen-year-old Nikhil Ananth looked at the experience as an opportunity to explore his future career options.
Ananth volunteered three days a week in the Clinical Research Center helping to do literature searches and learning about how research is conducted. He said he was particularly interested in the gait analysis research being done at the Center for the Intrepid.
"My dream career is to be an orthopedic surgeon," he said. "The thing about orthopedics is that it's applicable anywhere. Since the skeletal system is the structure of the entire body you can apply the practice and you can help anyone."
Pamela Jahelka, a research physical therapist assistant in the Military Performance Lab at the Center for the Intrepid praised Ananth and Jack Winter who both volunteered in clinical research.
"These students not only contributed to the ongoing research, they learned valuable skills that will assist them with their future educational pursuits. Additionally, both students were able to shadow and question members of the professions they currently would like to enter: prosthetics and orthopedic surgery," Jahelka said.
"This opportunity fueled their excitement of their potential careers. At the conclusion of their volunteer time this summer, Nikhil and Jack summarized their findings in the literature with a power point presentation to members of the Military Performance Lab of the Center for the Intrepid," Jahelka said.
Like Ananth, Jose Pague also volunteered because he is undecided about his career choice.
"I'm hoping to become a gastroenterologist, neurosurgeon or oncologist, so this seemed like an interesting experience learning what I truly want to become when I'm older," Pague said.
Even though the teens were not paid for the time they spent volunteering, the hope is that working with the staff and patients here was a learning experience that was both personally and professionally rewarding for them.
"These outstanding individuals took it upon themselves to spend their summer with us when they could have been sleeping late, chilling with their friends, or whatever else teenagers do. Instead they chose to spend their summer here learning and helping others," said Michael Dulevitz, chief of BAMC Volunteer Services.
Statistics show adults who were given volunteer opportunity as teens are twice as likely to volunteer as adults.
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