For the students at Alisal High School, completing 60 hours of community service is a graduation requirement. Though most students only complete the bare minimum, community service leaders Seniors Courtney Bauer, Edenise Marquez, and Sylvia Torres have exceeded that limit ten times over!

Bauer, who is currently in first place with 809 hours, says she has earned the majority of her hours volunteering as a coach for the Alisal Eagles cheerleaders. “I’ve coached all my four years but it didn’t feel like I was actually doing hours because I enjoyed it. Alisal Eagles is like another family to me.” Bauer handled the responsibility with ease, having over six years of experience under her belt. She now coaches a group of 5 to 7 year olds, helping them rehearse their kicklines. She said, “I learned to have patience, especially with the little ones because they tend to not listen.” Her six groups, which tally up to sixty-nine girls, must always be ready to perform during halftime at the Sunday football games. She also travels with the girls to competitions in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. “We usually take first or second place. It’s a lot of fun.” Naturally, her position demands a lot of commitment and hard work. “I only have time to go home for an hour before heading over to coach for three hours after school. It definitely taught me how to be more responsible,” says Bauer. “If I weren’t in Alisal Eagles, I’d probably be on the wrong path. It helps me stay on track.” Aside from her experiences with the Eagles, she’s also interested in a modeling profession. “I’ve looked into a modeling college in Florida. I hope to start a career there.” The hours she completed with Eagles has definitely become a key factor in narrowing down fashion as a field she wants to go into after she graduates next Spring.

The second highest, with 707 hours, is Sylvia Torres, who has completed most of her hours at Cesar Chavez Elementary. Despite her busy schedule – going to school and working – she manages to complete hours at least twice a week. “I helped at Cesar Chavez school, my church, and here at school. I do most of my hours at Cesar Chavez since my nephew goes to school there. So I said, why not?” Torres said that she wasn’t very patient with children but she learned to love and appreciate them. “I really enjoy going because sometimes when I’m really stressed out from school, seeing them makes things better.” Aside from that, she has been applying for several scholarships where her hours give her that competitive edge. Volunteering has also helped her become outgoing and also helped her overcome personal obstacles. Sylvia has lived with her aunt while her mom resides in Mexico and her dad in Santa Cruz. It was very hard for her at first but she found that volunteering was a way to meet new people and make the best out of her situation. “At first, I wasn’t really thinking too much about continuing my education but the teachers I met at Cesar Chavez encouraged me. They told me that education would bring me lots of opportunities.” She is planning on applying to CSUMB this fall and hopes to come back to the area and work as a nurse. “What I would encourage the freshmen to do is attend community service events that catch their attention. It doesn’t particularly have to be at an event they are bound to find unenjoyable.” Essentially, community involvement gives them the exposure and experience they need to discover their passions. “You never know when you might encounter an event that helps you chose the career for you,” she said.

Edenise Marquez currently has the third highest total with 618 hours. She says she wanted to challenge herself in order to get the highest award, the white sash, which requires at least 500 hours. She said, “I had to learn how to manage my time since I took AP classes, courses at Hartnell, and three sports.” Marquez would rather participate in community events rather than taking it easy at home. She completed most of her hours tutoring young students at Fremont Elementary and encouraging safe sex through a program called Postpone. Marquez had a life-changing moment that made her realize her true passion for helping others. “I remember when I did hours at the Sports Complex, I met a teenage girl, who I became very good friends with. She was battling with depression. She shared with me that she had been in foster care for a long time.” They became very good friends to the point that Marquez even saved her life. The girl shared a very concerning letter that raised red flags for Marquez. “I knew that I had to help her and tell an adult even though it’s not what she would’ve wanted me to do.” She is proud to say that the girl is now living in Nevada , in healthy conditions. Marquez is now planning on majoring in psychology as she prepares to apply to colleges this fall. “I’ve always wanted to leave Salinas, but after working with the kids at Fremont, I realized how good it felt to help others with their problems. I decided that I didn’t want to leave Salinas after high school and abandon my community. After all, this is home.”

Community service requires a commitment from the high school students themselves. Students have the option to complete their 60 hours in three areas that are approved by Ms. Mares and Ms. Valdez in the Career Center. Students earn the following awards for the amount of hours they complete. 100-199 hours earns a blue cord, 200-299 a SUHSD medal, 300-499 a teal sash, and 500+ earns a white sash. An important date that seniors should keep in mind is April 25 because that is the last day to turn in hours for final records. No exceptions. As Marquez advises, “Don’t be that senior rushing to complete hours.”