“Let us continue ‘SETTING THE STANDARD FOR EXCELLENCE,’” Community Relations Facilitator, Rosalinda Gutierrez wrote in an email to the Bonita Vista High (BVH) and Bonita Vista Middle (BVM) community.

On Aug. 22, Gutierrez sent out an email to students attending BVH and BVM including information about the volunteer work needed for both schools. It also stated Bonita Vista High would greatly appreciate the value volunteers make to create a stronger community.

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“We have such an active community and such an engaged community that we’re all concerned with our schools [and] our children, so it’s very simple to just put the word out that we need volunteers,” Guiterrez said.

The main reason there was the need for volunteers is because BVH wants to build a stronger community and school that involves outside members to contribute. There are various positions and opportunities open that any family member of a student attending BVH or BVM can sign up and volunteer for. 

“At Bonita Vista High score keepers, and chaperones are in high demand for our Vocal Musical Department, Club Blue (Band), Mariachi and the Athletics Department,” Gutierrez said in her email. “We need volunteer parents and community members (grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, cousins or neighbors) that can help a little.” 

For the school, as more volunteers observe the students, it is likely that less behavioral trouble and mayhem will occur. There would be multiple volunteers who would help create a strong and connected environment.

“[Students] have their home life, they have their after school life, they have their in school life. And the more we can involve other people and otherwise in the school every day and give them a glimpse of what we do every day,” Vocal Music Department Director, Michael Atwood said.

To become a more involved volunteer there is a multi-step process to ensure that parents and community members are safe and eligible to help out the school community. This process will ensure that volunteers are prepared to handle and observe the students.

“They go through a process of filling out the application, going through training–and those training sessions are two hours per session. That’s eight hours of training that they receive. They go through fingerprinting, get their test and then they’re ready to provide services on our campus,” Guitterez said.

Once the volunteer is cleared and approved they are ready to serve for the schools. It would contribute to the school because the volunteers would provide an extra set of eyes and ears, safety supervision and mentors to the community and students.

“At the football game, there are multiple teams selling concessions. I know each program has a set of parents that are definitely involved and help out the coach because it’s not a singular person that does everything. Without the help, you just can’t give the students the best experience possible,” Athletics Director Tyler Arciaga said.

This opportunity benefits volunteers as well. As more parents or family members are involved in their students’ lives through volunteering they become aware of what occurs at the school. For example if there is an exciting event occurring or if a disturbing event happened. The volunteers would gain a better understanding of what is happening in their students’ life at school.

“I think [volunteering] just involves more people in their students’ education. It’s really important and it makes school less secretive,”Atwood said. “It’s important to have that. It’s good for teachers to know what the students do outside of class. Students are multifaceted individuals.”