Ever since she was in elementary school, English teacher Sheri Seyka has been volunteering. Growing up, she tagged along with her family to serve food for the homeless at her local soup kitchen. However, the satisfaction she got from these hours of volunteering never matched how she felt when she found something she was truly passionate about. 

When Seyka was a young teacher, she attended a collection of student-teacher conferences where literacy seemed to be lacking. This inspired her to volunteer at local elementary schools and read to young children in hopes of addressing learning gaps. Through this experience, she discovered her love for promoting education and supporting students’ growth.

“Literacy opens up doors in every other path,” Seyka said. “So when I would see students who had a deficit in their learning, I knew reading was one thing that I could do to help them.”

After learning about the National Honor Society (NHS) chapter at ELHS, Seyka was immediately interested in the opportunity to empower students to get involved.

Soon after, she decided to apply as the next advisor.

“Having a purpose and giving back to the community is so important,” Seyka said. “Being a member can be so beneficial for students, and my hope is that at least some of them find something that would inspire them to do lifelong service.” 

When Seyka first stepped into the role 27 years ago, her main goal was to establish connections to a wide range of volunteering outlets. Today, the NHS Google Classroom is brimming with events where students can lend a hand from elementary school math nights to National Fossil Day celebrations. With such a wide variety of opportunities provided, Seyka hopes students feel inspired to discover their passions through volunteering.

We’ve found students who have.

Ellery Scales

Ellery Scales (12) trudged through the grass, carefully feeding birds and cleaning their cages. Behind her, a parade of baby Canadian geese followed, waddling quickly to keep up when Scales noticed her entourage, a smile spread across her face.

“I sat down and they all started climbing in my lap,” Scales said. “I just really loved that.”

Scales began working at the Wildside Rehabilitation & Education Center last summer, seeking a volunteer opportunity that aligned with her aspirations in biology. 

It was a perfect fit.

Her days consisted of giving sheltered birds their medication, packaging salads for possums and providing rocks and hay for the animals. 

“I just get to hang out with a bunch of birds all day,” Scales said. “There are some that live in captivity, and so you build relationships, give them tasks to do, and just get to spend time with them.”

The more Scales visited the wildlife center, the more she noticed how her mindset outside of volunteering began to change. Even during the drive to and from the center, she became more aware of the wild animals around her.

“It’s really taught me to be mindful,” Scales said. “The woods behind my house are full of wildlife, and I try to make sure my dogs don’t cause havoc on their lives.”

Taking care of animals has become central to Scales’ life, and finding a role that nurtured that passion made volunteering something she looked forward to, regardless of the tasks she had to perform.

“Sometimes you’d have to clean mealworms, and some people think that’s gross, but I thought that was really fun,” Scales said. “It feels rewarding to do something that you like.”

Sepehr Ataei

Sepehr Ataei (11) has always loved cats, but his parents were never able to get him one of his own. When researching where he should volunteer, the animal shelter popped up on his feed, and he decided to give it a chance. After all, it would be the perfect opportunity for him to have the special connection with animals he’d always hoped for. 

During his online training, Ataei learned what to do when animals were timid, if they had previous triggers, and how he should interact with the animals. This education further sparked his interest and made him excited for the day he finally was able to help out at the shelter in person.

“There aren’t a lot of people who talk to the animals or do anything for them for most of the time they’re there,” Ataei said. “So I’m super glad I’m able to do that.”

Each interaction has forced Ataei to think deeply about what would be best for the animal, and he knows his efforts are making a difference. 

“It’s scary for the animals when they’re surrounded by all these people they’ve never seen,” Ataei said. “I feel like by just socializing with them, I get them more adjusted and prepared to not be scared around humans. You just come to understand them.” 

These interactions not only teach him how to deal with future inhabitants of the shelter but also transfer into his own life and actions. 

“I’ve learned a lot about patience,” Ataei said. “It’s very tempting to want to hang out with them and just help them out, but you have to be slow, try to understand and genuinely think about it.”

Ataei finds himself wanting to dedicate time during his day to visit the animals, but it can be hard to find a balance between his schoolwork and other activities. Regardless, he takes pride in all the volunteering he can do. 

“I’m a lot more efficient with what I do,” Ataei says. “Even though I don’t specifically want to work at an animal shelter, I definitely still want to volunteer when I get older, because it’s something that I enjoy doing.”

Reynie Enger

While some try a plethora of different activities during childhood, Reynie Enger (11) has always stuck with visual arts. From the age of five, Enger has been involved with the All-of-us Express Children’s Theatre at the Hannah Center, both on and off the stage. From taking on an acting role in the company’s rendition of “The Witch’s Princess” to creating props for other shows, Enger is well versed in the many roles of a theater production.
“I’ve always been kind of artistic,” Enger said. “It’s just an opportunity for me to grow my skills and hopefully lend those towards a future career.”

Recently, Enger has pivoted towards photography and digital media. Before they joined NHS, they had already immersed themself in volunteering for the theatre by designing posts for their Instagram account. While it was a lot of work for Enger, they were always excited to pick out different fonts, colors, and photos to incorporate into the posts. 

“It just flies by for me,” Enger said. “I love just listening to music, putting the photos in, and seeing what my options are. My work is also really well received, so that makes it really fun.”

When Enger first started seeing their Instagram following grow, it gave them even more motivation to continue their work. Because of this, they started paying for advertising to expand the scope of people who encountered the account. 

And it worked.

The more people who saw their work, the more support they received, along with feedback on how to make the account even better. 

“It’s really fulfilling to see people brought into the thing I’ve been involved in and loved for 11 years,” Enger said. “I’m just happy I can get to introduce somebody else to that and maybe let them see a side of it that they didn’t see before.”

Audra Grahm And Ruby Hatfield

When looking for in-hospital experiences, both Audra Graham (12) and Ruby Hatfield (12) decided to apply to volunteer at the University of Michigan – Sparrow Hospital. Little did the pair know, they would end up volunteering on the same floor, in the same unit. Now, a year later, they look forward to bouncing ideas off one another on how to improve the lives of the patients they see weekly. 

“My brother volunteered there in high school and highly recommended it,” Graham said. “It’s the experience that confirmed he wanted to become a doctor, and so that’s what inspired me as well.”

In the mother-baby unit, they get to set up cribs, clean up rooms, prepare papers to obtain birth certificates, and support the nurses. 

But what’s most powerful is when they get to interact with the patients. 

“It’s very impactful when you get to discharge a new mom,” Hatfield said. “It’s a special moment in their lives when they’re going home with their babies for the first time. It’s definitely fun to be there.”

The more exposure these friends got in the hospital environment, the more their passion for a career in medicine was solidified. They had found something they loved, and volunteering showed them they could be dedicated to the hard work ahead.

“It’s definitely helped me plan for the future,” Hatfield said. “I’ve found I can get more out of NHS since I’ve looked for something I’m interested in. I enjoy it a lot more than just random events.”

Sam Tunistra

When Sam Tunistra (12) joined the Students For Environmental Action (SEA) club, she felt the club was not as active as it should be. In her junior year, she became co-president alongside her friend Kelly Maier (12), and together they took the initiative to revitalize the club and make it more impactful.

“At first, I was like ‘it’s just a club,’” Tunistra said. “But as the year went on, I really started to love doing the research and presentations.”

Since she was also a part of NHS, Tunistra decided to use her love for environmental issues as an opportunity to fulfill her volunteer hours. Twice a week she would engage in tasks such as cleaning a watershed at Patriarche Park, planting trees at ELHS, or sorting through recycling bins around the school to help out Granger workers.

“We have to do some sorting [of recycling bins],” Tunistra said. “Because if there are bottles that we can return, we take those to fund our club.”

Through doing tasks that seem as small as organizing recycling bins, she has learned that no small feat is as insignificant as it seems. 

“Making an impact is all about sacrifices,” Tunistra said. “It’s about taking time to help your community.”

Because of her role as the president of SEA club, Tunistra is able to connect the two clubs together twice a year for can drives. Every fall and spring, SEA organizes a can drive for those in need, giving other NHS students the opportunity to participate in the sorting and delivering of goods collected on weekends. 

“It takes a lot of hanging posters and getting the word out,” Tunistra said. “We have a lot of Facebook moms who help us with that.” 

The time Tunistra spends volunteering has expanded her love for tackling environmental concerns. 

“Volunteering makes me feel more connected to the environment and my community,” Tunistra said. “I just feel like a better person because I’m getting out of the house and doing things.”

Henry Mahler

While sitting in the East Lansing Public Library, Henry Mahler (12) spotted a flyer for a tutoring gig at the Edgewood Community Center. He immediately knew that this was what he wanted to do for his volunteer work.

After emailing the program’s facilitator, he was in. 

“You just hang out with kids for like, three hours after they are dropped off for school,” Mahler said. “It was fun and fulfilling for myself.”

Three times a week, Mahler would sit down with kids ranging from first graders to middle schoolers, and help them with their homework, no matter the subject. But sometimes, he was just there to be a friend.

“It’s really whatever they bring back for homework, math, reading, [etc.],” Mahler said. “Sometimes I’m just playing Roblox with them.”

After spending more time with these students, he realized that his motivations had shifted. He wasn’t just there for the club, he also wanted to provide students the support they needed. Spending time with these students has opened Mahler’s eyes to his own privileges, helping him appreciate the opportunities he’s given. 

“I’m quite privileged: white male, straight, middle class,” Mahler said. “People at Edgewood are lower income. The stories that these little kids would be telling me, it’s definitely helped me appreciate my circumstances, but also opened my eyes.”

During this service opportunity, Mahler has learned about the true nature of volunteering. Through gaining a bigger understanding of compassion and his impact on the world, Mahler has realized that every impact is important, no matter the size. 

“I think it’s a good idea to just be nice to people and just spread that compassion, it makes a difference,” Mahler said.

Mahler hopes to continue his volunteer work as a tutor for Edgewood Community Center again this year. He’s looking forward to the opportunity to care for others and contribute to a beneficial cause. 

“I’m not just doing this for hours, but [the chance] to have some genuine care and passion for whatever I’m contributing to,” Mahler said.

Seyka understands the journey NHS members are on, having once stood in their shoes as she discovered a passion that made volunteering meaningful. Her dedication to reading, writing, and helping students achieve their goals revealed what she truly loved and reshaped her perspective on giving back.
“It immediately opened up more doors for me and made me appreciate it more,” Seyka said. “If students find an area they genuinely enjoy and avoid doing things that make them miserable, it’s transformative. When students give back and truly enjoy it, that’s just amazing to see.”

Seyka’s efforts continue to inspire others to view volunteering as more than a requirement—encouraging them to connect with causes that connect to their interests.

“It’s rewarding to do something you truly enjoy,” Scales said. “It might seem like common sense, but I wouldn’t feel happy if volunteering felt like a chore. Once you find something you love, it becomes so much easier—and so much fun.”