Interns
Current Interns
Michelle Borel
Growing up, helping others has become an increasingly meaningful part of my life. Beginning as a baby, my dad would take me to work with him to drive special needs children to school. As I got older, I noticed how he treated these children. He talked to them and teased them like he would do to anyone else. I noticed how the students’ faces lit up when he opened the door for them to come inside. I noticed that even when the students hit him or used unkind words with him, he still treated them with patience. This taught me how influential your actions are on others, and that kindness is the most valuable gift we have.
Prior to joining the LEO’s club, I had never volunteered on my own accord. I learned about the organization my sophomore year and I decided to give it a try; I instantly fell in love with the impact that we have on society. Throughout the year, our members volunteered at organizations such as Caleb’s closet, and Lions-supported events such as Kid’s Fish and the Pancake Festival. Through the LEO’s club I gain valuable volunteer experience, connect with members of my community, and am presented with useful leadership opportunities. Through one of the leadership positions, the Outstanding Youth Internship, I met my mentor and dear friend Mrs. Jean Anne Stratton. She contacted me after the internship interviews and introduced herself. From there, she made the Llano Lions Club known to me and I’ve been an unofficial member since. With the Lions Club, I have expanded the organizations that I volunteer for to include the South Plains Food Bank, Lubbock Meals on Wheels, Night to Shine, and more. I was able to represent the Llano Lions Club in the District 2-t2 Queen’s competition, placing second, and this year I have the honor of competing again. Twice a month, the club meets at a restaurant where I am occasionally ask to speak and contribute to the meeting.
As someone who has been blessed significantly, I feel that it is my duty in life to advocate for those who are less fortunate. Though volunteering benefits the community, it also benefits the volunteer! As a passion project, I presented the idea of growing produce at High Point Village to Mrs. Stratton; the produce would be sold at the Wolfforth Farmer’s Market, and the profits would serve as donations to the village. Coincidently, Mrs. Stratton essentially had the same ides. Over time, this idea developed into creating a LEOs club for Highpoint Village in which its members can contribute to their community. After difficulties with founding the LEOs club, Mrs. Stratton concluded that a Lions Omega Club would be the most appropriate branch. Together, we arranged and attended meetings with the development officer and CEO of High Point Village, solved problems as they arise, and presented our ideas to others. Additionally, I have volunteered at Kid’s Fish, Caleb’s Closet, Mahon Library, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, and many more organizations. This year I am excited to participate in Bark n’ Brew as a first-time volunteer and participate more in Meals on Wheels.
The Health Occupations Students of America is an organization that promotes youth leadership in the medical community. As the volunteer coordinator, I search for community service opportunities for the members of HOSA, attend and contribute to meetings, and monitor volunteer events. In the Frenship Mentor Program, I am a mentor to two children with difficult home lives. As mentors, we set a good example for our children, guide them through conflict, and tutor them on their work. This year, I plan to initiate a Model United Nations Chapter for my school. I will be required to research the specifics of the club, present the ideas to my principal, and persuade students to join the organization.
The desire to volunteer comes from the understanding that there are few bad people, and most people are a product of their environment. Everyone deserves an opportunity to sleep in a room every night, eat three meals a day, have an education, and access proper medical care, and it is up to the members of our communities to uphold that.
Past Outstanding Youth Interns:
Mary Elizabeth Hocker
Isabel Hester
One thing about me is that I absolutely love to help people. I can not remember a time in my life when I didn’t want to help someone. Because of that, I have done many service projects, mostly with scouts and my church, but I have loved them all. If someone needs something done, I always hope I am the first person they call. I have done things anywhere from picking up trash, to babysitting, to painting shelves. One of the highlights of my service was spending a spring break helping restore and fix up the Lions camp, it was an amazing experience. Lubbock Lions has offered me many opportunities to serve including Pancake Fest, Flags at fourth on Broadway, and Kidfish. I really enjoy working with younger kids.Service is something that I hope I will always enjoy doing, no matter how old I get to be. If it makes someone happy, or helps someone in any way, I will be there in a heartbeat to help them.
I also love being a leader to those younger than me, and around me. While being in BSA Troop 157, I have had many opportunities to work on my leadership skills that others may not have. I have served as a patrol leader, senior patrol leader, assistant patrol leader, and troop guide. Each one of these experiences has helped me become a better leader, and person all
around. I have learned how to help others better, and how to understand that each person is different, and everyone learns differently. What I have found through leading at Scouts is that leadership does not have to be a title, it is just another way to serve others.
I remember going to the Lions meetings as a kid with my dad,and absolutely loving it. One thing I remember specifically is seeing this Game Warden, she was the coolest person I have ever met, and I still aspire to be like her. She knew exactly what she needed, and exactly how to get it. I will never forget her and how kind she was. Should I be chosen for this internship, I look forward to all the opportunities the Lubbock Lions Club will give me. However, I will attend all of the Lions events including- Kid fish, Pancake fest, etc. even if I am not chosen for this internship. I will always help and serve my community, and continue to serve with the Lubbock Lions Club.
Graham Hutton
For the past nine years I have had many opportunities to be involved in volunteer work for numerous organizations. I have taken on volunteer work from collecting food for the food bank to making hundreds of pancakes in the Lubbock Lions Club Pancake Festival. Though most of my volunteering comes from my long history with Scouting I have had many hours outside of scouts to help around with other organizations. Through my long list of volunteer projects I have participated in, I have proven my commitment to others and their work and I have always shown my best work ethic for those who trust me with their tasks.
My involvement in Scouts has led me to experience what it means to volunteer and how important helping my community really is. My volunteer work has let me see the amount of work that is really needed to make a difference, and the importance of raising awareness for people in need like people with disabilities and the men and women who lack food or a place to live. Scouts has also given me the opportunity to work with the Lions Club and contribute to their noble cause of helping others by ringing bells for the Salvation Army and giving children an experience that very few have with KidsFish. One last important experience I’ve gotten with the Scouts is how to apply leadership to my volunteer work and being a Patrol Leader and an Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. I have had to show others the same crucial lessons of volunteer work so that they will continue to work towards these important causes. Outside of Scouting I took on the role of being the saxophone section leader in the Monterey Marching Band where I prepared my section for competition with both their music and marching.
Even outside of Scouts I show just how my view on volunteering has impacted me and encouraged me to be a leader in other organizations; such as Monterey Band and when I was a volunteer at E-Life Church where I taught and hopefully inspired the children at our church to continue their religious journey. I feel accomplished when I get to show my friends or family how much I serve others and I hope that through my efforts people that I do not know will be inspired to be of help to our community.
Kendall Page
I have been a member of the Frenship Leo’s Club since I was a sophomore. Leo’s Club has brought me new opportunities to help serve and give back to my community. I was recently elected treasurer for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. I am extremely excited about this role and the leadership opportunities it will provide me. I really enjoy volunteering because it paints a beautiful picture of what selflessness looks like and the Lions Club portrays this perfectly. I helped the Lions Club with the annual Pancake Festival this year and it was an unforgettable experience. The joy I saw on each Lions’ face all day long made me realize how grateful I was to be there volunteering to help raise money for such great causes that benefited the community tremendously. Through National Charity League, I frequently volunteer for different outreaches including Second Helpings, The Lubbock Dream Center, South Plains Food Bank, and High Point Village. Volunteering at these outreaches is a touching experience for me because I get to show kindness and compassion to those in need. Being around these environments has given me a new perspective on our society. I have witnessed how people are treated and leamed how they should be treated. Volleyball is another experience that has helped me grow to be a leader. I have played volleyball for eight years for Frenship and Next Level Volleyball Club. Volleyball has taught me a lot about myself and others. Through sports, I have learned how to be a trustworthy example for others and a reliable leader. I desire to be an Outstanding Youth Intern for the Lions Club so I can continue to serve others while also getting the opportunity to be a part of the Lions Club environment leaming new ways to serve our community.
Brooklyn Turner
Ever since I can remember my mom has cooked meals for neighbors and friends in need, donated any extra clothes or toys, made time to serve women through Lubbock impact, and has been willing to open the doors of our house to foster kids. This constant immersion in service has taught me that service is simply putting others first and has set a clear example. I have grown to love serving others and have been given a surplus of opportunities to do so through school, family, and church.
In school I am member of NHS, HOPE squad, and LEO’s club. I have also been involved in student council, FCCLA, and Ready Set Teach throughout high school. Being in NHS has allowed me to serve the staff at my school. I have planned a day to organize the counseling closet and have been involved in activities for teacher appreciation day. HOPE squad is a group dedicated to helping struggling students. This group has taught me how to see a need and meet them. The Ready Set Teach program gave me an opportunity to student teach at an elementary school. I taught 5th grade math for a semester, mostly working in small groups with students who often fell behind. Working with 5th graders allowed me to further my communication skills, along with my patients. As a LEO’s member I have been involved in many service projects which include: Kids fish, writing letters for people in nursing homes, decorating bags for meals on wheels, the pancake festival, and collecting stocking suffers for foster kids. I also have had the pleasure to serve as the LEO’s treasurer this year, and the honor to be president next year.
My family has been extremely involved in supporting our foster care agency since we adopted my three little siblings. The past few Christmases my mom and I have gone shopping for stocking stuffers, and then stuffed fifty of more stockings for newborns- 18-year-olds. This Christmas I was able to organize a fundraiser through LEO’s to collect the stocking stuffers Brooklyn Turner instead of having to purchase all of them. I also attend the parties thrown during any holiday and help kids with any of the activities.
have always volunteered at church, but this year I have gotten extremely involved. Every Sunday I work in the children’s room. I lead worship, a small group, and play with all the kids. Afterwards I volunteer at the middle school service, which I also help at on Wednesday nights. Wednesday nights I show up early and help set up for any activities and stay late to clean up. Serving at church has become my favorite part of the week because it gives me the opportunity to genuinely love on kids and further their faith. It has also taught me to be flexible in any situation because often games do not end up working as planned, and conversations drift off topic.
Kodi Iden
It is true that the Lions Club is more than a group for servitude, but also a community in which embraces doing better for humanity. As a member of Frenship High School Leo’s Club and upcoming 2021-2022 president of our club, I have been able to experience this idea of leadership and service, as well as simply doing good for others. A firm believer of civic duty and humanitarian honor, I believe that I would be a qualified candidate for the Outstanding Youth oppo1iunity.
ll10ugh many may view this as simply a scholarship opportunity, I find that the Outstanding Youth position will bring a lasting impact on my life and allow myself to become grounded in my community. Coming face-to-face with COVID-19 has put coming up with service ideas more difficult than in the past, but not impossible, which I fow1d quite beautiful. Throughout my participation in Leo’s Club, I have greatly enjoyed volunteering for many different se1vice projects including: creating Christmas cards to be handed out to nursing home residents, donating plastic bags for local charities to use as blanket weaving material, donating money for teacher appreciation gifts throughout my school, Angel Tree, donating candy for the 2020 Wolffotih United Methodist Church Fall Festival, and actively involving myself in the Frenship High School Mentor Program. All of these se1vice opportW1ities have allowed me to connect deeply with my community and helped me to appreciate doing good for others. In total, I have completed over 30 hams of community service dming the 2020-2021 school year.
Sue Mboya
To my definition, service is the action of giving back to the community in any aspect in which you can. Service does not require a grand gesture; it can be something as minimal as telling someone you are thinking and praying for them. The thought of bringing someone joy in any way brings a smile to my face.
I joined Leo’s club in the beginning of my junior year. Through Leo’s club, I have gotten more involved in the community. I recently participated in the kid’s fish event; it was amazing to see the community of Lubbock come together after a challenging year. Words cannot express the joy I felt when I saw how excited the kids got when they brought their fish to be measured. I also participated in Angel tree; I love that Leos club helps make kids from low-income families have happy holidays. The Ronald Reagan House and The American Diabetes Organization are also some other events that I participated in.
I am currently involved in HOSA, National Honors Society and served as the girls varsity basketball manager for the 2020-2021 school season. Serving as their manager taught me the importance of relying on others. The optimal goal in basketball is to rely on your teammates to know the plays so that the team can score the most baskets. I think in life we must be able to rely on others to do their part for success to occur. I also learned the importance of communication. Being a good communicator is beneficial for the everything.
God plays a really huge role in my life, I believe he is the reason I am where I am today. I attended victory life before covid impacted our lives. My youth group and I participated in numerous community service projects within Lubbock. We planted gardens for some elderly members, we prayed for hospitals when covid started to reach its peak, we renovated someone’s house, we served the homeless at the dream center, and we hung out with some elders from our church. Lubbock dream center was by far my favorite and most rewarding community service act I have ever done. During my freshman spring break, my youth group volunteered at the dream center for the first time. We just sorted through clothes and helped clean the center. The second time, we volunteered was when we got to actually get to hang out with the children. I had so much fun getting to hang out, visit with the children and talk about their lives. It hurt my heart to know how turmoil most of them had in their lives, but they were still some of the most vibrant, and positive humans I had ever encountered. They taught me to see the positive in all that I do.
I work at Dimba’s after school and having a job while going through school has taught me the importance of time management skills. Being dedicated to my job and also extremely focused on my studies, is not an easy task. Though I would never change it for anything, it teaches me discipline and prepares me for my future.
I strongly believe that I would be a great fit for the Lions Club Internship. I love being involved in the community as much I can. Through my involvement in National Honors Society, Leo’s club, Dimba’s employee, and youth group I believe I have gained the qualities that embody a leader.
Hanna Page
Hannah’s love of service began at 12 years old when she and her mother joined the Lubbock chapter of the National Charity League. The goal of NCL is to foster mother-daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service and leadership development. Then in high school she joined the Frenship’s Leos Club, became an officer and enjoyed participation in events such as Bark and Brew and the Pancake Festival. Participation and involvement in the National Charity League, Leos Club, National Honor Society and athletics, utterly prepared Hannah to serve as Lubbock Lions Club Outstanding Youth Intern.
