Goodrich High School senior Rachel Karyakose claims she’s not really into sports, but that doesn’t mean she’s not involved. Over the course of her high school career, Karyakose accumulated more than 630 hours of community service and volunteer work.
Her hard work did not go unnoticed.
On Feb. 19 Karyakose attended a breakfast banquet at the University of Michigan-Flint where Priority Children presented her with a Children’s Champion Award for 2010, the Robert E. Weiss Outstanding Youth Award. Genesee County Chief Probate Judge Weiss, a former county prosecutor and Michigan State University trustee, who the award is named for, died of a heart attack in January 2009.
There were 22 students nominated by high school counselors county-wide and the winner was required to be an all-around good student who volunteered an outstanding amount of community service work.
‘I don’t do sports, so this is my way of getting involved,? Karyakose said. ‘I’d rather be out there helping people than sitting on the couch doing nothing.?
Karyakose has been a girl scout since the first grade. She contributes much of her time to girl Scout programs such as painting book selves, assissting young Girl Scouts to make gingerbread houses, and helping out at a special needs fishing derby. She is also a counselor at a Girl Scout’s camp, Happy Hollow Day Camp, for a week every summer. There, she works as a Program Aide and Junior Leader. She earned the Girl Scout Silver Award for volunteering over 50 hours to a Science Sleuth badge workshop for younger girl scouts. Karyakose planned and coordinated the event herself. Currently she is working on earning the Gold Award by donating over 65 hours of her time to a community service project. Her project is making pillows with goofy monster faces on them and giving them to community organizations which service children in difficult situations. These organizations include a homeless shelter, a residential drug treatment program, a residential crisis therapy program, and an autism program.
Aside from Girl Scouts Karyakose volunteers at Brian’s House Hospice in Davision every Tuesday. She does laundry, bakes cookies, keeps patients company, answers phones, and fills out admission packets. ‘I really enjoy helping out the patients; even if it’s as small of a thing as just watching television with them to give them company.? On Sunday mornings Karyakose co-teachs a catechism class for Pre-K and Kindergarten students at her church.
‘Seeing others smile makes my day that much better.? A video clip of Karyakose being presented with the award can be viewed at www.abc12.com, search ‘Good Kids?.