Summer camps at Berkeley are filled to the brim with helpful volunteers and happy campers. With days filled with fun and learning, camp participants are always seen with smiles on their faces, but Berkeley camps would not be able to provide the same level of quality without their volunteers. Judy Caprara, Lower Division learning specialist and Director of Summer of Excellence summer camp believes that volunteers have one of the most important jobs in any camp. “The volunteer’s primary job is to help ensure that all children are safe and well taken care of. That is the most important job and is also why volunteers serve to be the lifeblood of Summer of Excellence.”

Volunteers at Summer of Excellence help teachers manage their classrooms, prepare materials, work with students and do a number of other jobs, thus making them vital not only to Summer of Excellence, but also to many other summer camps at Berkeley. Volunteers are not just volunteers. They are also mentors to the students. “When the little ones see our older volunteers working so hard to make their camp experience better, they feel proud and excited. A sort of bonding occurs,” Caprara said.

By volunteering at summer programs, students are not only earning their required hours, but they are also refining their leadership qualities in real-life situations. Larkie Fleming, Lower Division music teacher and Director of Fleming Fine Arts Camp believes strongly in educating the youth of today how to be the leaders of tomorrow. “We teach, minute by minute, the power of good leadership,” she explains. In addition, students are shown the power and importance of being a professional in the real world. “This is where you learn about professionalism. Our volunteers are respectful, reliable and dependable. These are qualities that professionals need to have in the work place,” Fleming said.

Regan Dabbs ’16 is an avid volunteer and a perfect example of how a Berkeley student makes a positive difference. Dabbs has been at Fleming Fine Arts Camp since she was two years old. First as a camper and now as a volunteer, she can’t help but go back. “It is a passion. I love doing what I do and I can’t help but to keep doing it.” Dabbs has bonded so much with her fellow staff that she considers them her family. “I love volunteering with my family. Everyone helps each other out and really wants everyone else to succeed.”

By encouraging a sense of volunteerism in the students, Berkeley is not only instilling important values, but it is also creating future professionals in the workforce. Students are being taught how much more they receive when they give back to the community and are able to experience the self-satisfaction of knowing that they made a positive difference in the world.