Students at Western Albemarle High School will spend their summers giving back to the community this year. Several students are planning to volunteer and work in the Crozet-Charlottesville area.

Izzy Eby, a sophomore at WAHS, is volunteering at Camp Holiday Trails in Charlottesville this summer. As a volunteer, she will mostly wash dishes and help with activities. Eby will be volunteering for three weeks this year, while last summer, she volunteered for one week.

“We do sports like dodgeball, and we do arts and crafts,” said Eby.

Eby’s brother volunteered at the camp in the past, which is how she heard about it. Campers sleepover in cabins, while the five to eight counselors can choose to come for the day or sleepover, as well.

Grace Zhang will be working at Farmington Country Club this summer. As a junior at WAHS, Zhang is a member of the Varsity Tennis Team. She is coaching a summer tennis camp, helping the head coach run clinics and teaching kids of all ages to play tennis. She heard about it through the job fair hosted by WAHS during lunch. On weekdays throughout the summer, Zhang will be working with other high school and college students.

“There are a lot of people from Western also doing this job. I think there’s a good five to six people, and there are people from other schools [in Albemarle County,] too,” said Zhang.

Aanya Sonkusare, a freshman at WAHS, is volunteering at the UVA Health University Medical Center this summer in the Junior Volunteer Program. While volunteers are not permitted to give any medical advice, they can talk to patients, show visitors around, and transport materials for surgery.

“I just think it’s a really good opportunity, especially for people who maybe want to go into medicine,” said Sonkusare.

For two months this summer, Sonkusare will be volunteering with around twenty other high schoolers for at least one day a week.

Through these opportunities, WAHS students will make a positive impact on the community and gain volunteer and work experience this summer.