26 | SEPTEMBER 22 • 2022
ners like Keep Growing Detroit
again.
Jillian’s mom, Caren Vondell,
says while her daughter is active
in a lot of activities in school,
she keeps PeerCorps high on
her priorities.
“Volunteering in a
Jewish organization that
helps in Detroit gives her
a feeling of community,
involvement, importance and
accomplishment different than
rowing and dance and theater
at school. She likes having
something separated from her
immediate school community
that’s also important to her.
”
Naveen, who’s also active in
his school activities and sports,
says he always makes time for
PeerCorps.
“I’m involved with the NHS
(National Honors Society) at
school where I’m required to
get service hours,
” Naveen said.
“But the service hours I
would do in our community
would be with school drives
or a company or something.
With PeerCorps, I get to choose
some of my opportunities, and
I feel better about the volunteer
experience because I get to help
people directly in Detroit.
”
Naveen learned about
PeerCorps while he was in
middle school when he was
an active member at Temple
Shir Shalom and started
volunteering in programs when
he was in seventh grade. Now,
as a high schooler, Naveen
continues to dedicate his time
to PeerCorps.
“Naveen attended the most
sessions out of all our teens,
which was amazing considering
he is extremely active in
extracurriculars at school,
”
Feldman added.
“His dedication to showing
up each month and giving his
all at our learning sessions and
our volunteer opportunities is
truly inspiring.
”
Naveen says there are a lot
of opportunities throughout
the year to get involved in and
that it’s always different. He
encourages other teens to get
involved if they can.
“We have done things with
a local food pantry, and we get
to work with our hands on a
community farm or garden,
”
Naveen explained. “In the past,
I have worked on renovation
projects and worked with small
businesses in Eastern Market.
”
The volunteer experiences
are never boring and always
are a good experience, Naveen
added. He hopes to continue
volunteering and helping the
community throughout his life.
Naveen’s dad, Bruce Jackson,
says he’s always tried to teach
the value in giving back.
“We have tried to instill in
Naveen the importance of being
a complete person, that to live
a meaningful life he needs to
be of service to others. I think
his participation in PeerCorps
shows that he has been
listening,
” Jackson said.
PeerCorps High is thrilled to
have Jillian and Naveen back on
their cohort this year.
If you’re interested in joining PeerCorps
High, you can apply at www.tfaforms.
com/5008734. Applications are open
until Sept. 29. To learn more about
Repair the World and its programs
head to werepair.org.
Jillian, left, and other volunteers sort seeds and create plantable seed
strips in a community garden in Detroit.
At Elu V’Elu, teens
learn about a social
issue topic.
continued from page 24
OUR COMMUNITY
VOLUNTEERS OF THE WEEK
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