By: Marisa Balanda

Many teenagers may be using summer to work on their tans, but some HHS students are spending their summers in nontraditional ways.

In order to learn more about some unique summer programs, The Broadcaster spoke to several HHS students about their unconventional summer plans.

Jason Guo

HHS junior Jason Guo doesn’t have to leave the Chocolate Bubble to experience a one-of-a-kind summer experience.

This summer will be Guo’s third year volunteering at the Penn State M.S. Hershey Medical Center with the Summer Teen Volunteer Program.  Guo will be participating in the Healthcare Career Exploration Program (HCEP) next school year, and his volunteer experience at the Medical Center during the past few summers has already opened his eyes to the medical field. The Summer Teen Volunteer Program is an eight-week program that equals 32 hours of volunteer work.

During his first summer, Guo did music therapy at the children’s hospital. He would play music for infants and children up to four years old. This therapy and the use of small shaker instruments helped the sick children develop motor skills. Last summer, Guo worked in sterile processing. He was responsible for sorting and cleaning medical equipment. While Guo did not find this as fun as the music therapy, he still plans to continue with the volunteer program. This summer Guo plans to either do music therapy again or just talk to patients in the hospital. Guo said, “I love seeing the kids smile after playing music for them.”

Kathryn Kinney

Each summer, junior Kathryn Kinney puts her Spanish speaking skills to work when she travels to Nicaragua. However, Kinney goes to Nicaragua for much more than the language practice.

For the past few summers, Kinney has traveled to a small village near Masaya, Nicaragua, where she and a group from her church build houses with an organization called “Bridges to Community.” This village is very impoverished, so the town leaders decide which family is most deserving of the earthquake-proof house. Because the village people do not like to take charity, the receiving family participates in a payment plan of $10 a month for 20 months.

When they are not building houses, Kinney and her group teach Bible school to the children in the village. Kinney explained how she becomes close with the children and when she is reunited with them the next year, it is very emotional. Kinney said, “It’s just the greatest experience ever.”

Rafay Nasir

Junior Rafay Nasir doesn’t travel to North Carolina each summer for the beaches.

This summer will be Nasir’s third time participating in the Conference of National Affairs (CONA) in Black Mountain, North Carolina. This national conference is a branch off organization of Youth and Government (YAG). CONA participants are selected from the state level and travel to North Carolina at the beginning of July for the conference.

While YAG is structured to model the government, CONA is established to discuss national issues. Each participant writes a proposal about a certain topic that could range from foreign policy to economic issues. The candidates try to get their proposals passed and debate it in front of everyone. Nasir commented on the interesting debates that occur when educated students speak passionately about their topics.

Nasir has made many friends through CONA and said that it is, “Probably the best activity I’ve done all of high school.”

Erin Wolfe

For as long as she can remember, junior Erin Wolfe has attended Camp Echo.

Camp Echo isn’t a regular camp; it is for kids with congenital heart conditions. Wolfe does not have heart problems, but her dad is the pediatric cardiologist at the camp, so she and her sisters have been involved since a young age. The camp is located near Bloomsburg, PA. It is geared for people as young as seven all the way to adult.

Since these campers cannot experience a regular summer camp, the camp is designed to accommodate the needs of the campers. The whole complex is wheelchair accessible and the staff can use golf carts to transport the campers. The cabins are air conditioned and there is a building called the “Med Shed” that can aid with medical needs of the campers. “It’s tailored to what they need,” Wolfe said.

Last summer was Wolfe’s first year being a camp counselor, and this year she will be one of the head counselors. This August, at camp, she will be responsible for organizing activities, planning events, and managing the campers. This summer, Camp Echo will be transformed with a Hollywood and Red Carpet theme.

Wolfe always enjoys her time at camp, and she has formed close bonds with the other counselors as well as the campers who return every year. Wolfe said, “It’s better than vacation.”