Teen top volunteer

When she was a fifth-grader at St. Helen's School in Niskayuna, Stephanie Todt began volunteering at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady.

Now 15 and a Niskayuna High School student, she has logged more than 265 hours of volunteer time, which has earned her recognition as the "Junior Volunteer of the Year" at Sunnyview.

She was encouraged by her mother, the head of the recreation department at the hospital.

Variety of efforts

Stephanie, a member of St. George's Episcopal Church, began by filing paperwork and helping out in the office.

As she got older, she moved into the recreational program, visiting Sunnyview to run games, entertain patients with activities and jokes, and assist with other programs.

Although she still helps out in the office, her favorite tasks involve contact with the patients: delivering mail, handing out newspapers, and bringing flowers from friends and family.

Progress seen

Since Stephanie goes to Sunnyview once a week to volunteer, she sees patients' progress during the week, which always surprises and gratifies her, especially among patients close to her age.

"One week, they'll be in a wheelchair, and the next, walking around with a walker," she said. "They can make a lot of improvement in a short amount of time. Being able to help them get better is a really good feeling."

While Stephanie doesn't expect to "be the changing force in someone's life, I want to help them have a better day. If they've had a rough day or haven't had therapy go very well, I can help them just have a better day."

Selflessness

Whatever her future course, Stephanie intends to keep on volunteering.

"There are so many programs, so there's really not an excuse for not volunteering!" she declared. "It's a great feeling. I hope that everyone volunteers at some point in their life."

(Stephanie is a competitive figure-skater and teaches a Learn-to-Skate program in Clifton Park. She also helped organize a school-wide poetry reading and coffeehouse as a fundraiser for a national eating disorder association in support of a classmate who had gone into treatment for anorexia.)

(8/10/06) [[In-content Ad]]