Oak Hills students explore volunteer opportunities at Student Outreach Fair

By Michelle Ruckdaschel Pioneer Staff Writer

The nearly 200 students studying at Oak Hills Christian College this year will be reaching out to Bemidji and the surrounding area in a big way.

On Thursday morning, many students and representatives of local churches and community organizations gathered in the Oak Hills gym for the college’s annual Student Outreach Fair.

Student Outreach Director Pam Magawa said one of the college’s main philosophies is to have students practice what they learn in the classroom.

“One way we do that is through the outreach program,” she said.

Oak Hills students volunteered nearly 10,000 hours during each of the last two academic years, Magawa said.

Since Oak Hills began, volunteering has been an integral part of the college, she said. The college requires students in all academic programs to volunteer at least one and a half hours every week throughout the academic year.

“And of course, many do more than that,” Magawa said.

Held the second week of fall semester each year, the Student Outreach Fair provides students the chance to explore volunteer opportunities in the area and to sign up to help.

On Thursday morning, representatives from about 32 local churches and community organizations were on hand to meet with students.

“I’m amazed there are so many people,” said Tina Sweatt, coordinator of the Bi-CAP Youth Build program. “To see so many positive young people is great.”

This was the first year the Youth Build program had a booth at the fair, Sweatt said.

She and intern Austin Needham spent the morning telling students about mentoring opportunities with the program. Youth Build serves 16 year olds to 24 year olds who have left the traditional school setting by providing them the chance to learn how to build houses and go to school.

“We’re hoping for about 10 (volunteers), and I think we’re going to get them,” Sweatt said.

Dorothy Marshall, a secretary at Heartland Christian Academy, said she believes volunteering is a good way for the college students starting out in ministry to get some field work.

“And for us it’s really a benefit,” said Marshall, noting that the volunteers who sign up will help meet the needs of the small Christian grade school.

The Mokahum Chapel in Cass Lake returned for its third year at the fair Thursday morning in search of children and music ministry volunteers.

“This is a great opportunity to meet the students,” said Cindy Reed, a board member at Mokahum Chapel.

Freshman Melanie Larson said Christians are called to reach out to other people.

During her first year at Oak Hills, Larson helped out with an Awana group for children in Solway. And during her second year, she was involved in ministry on the campus at Oak Hills as part of a band leading worship during chapel time.

Volunteering, Larson said, is about caring about other people, reaching out to the community and trying to make a difference.

Freshman Zach Marino, who works with junior high boys on Wednesday nights at the Evangelical Free Church of Bemidji, said it’s important to invest in the lives of youth.

“And then, hopefully, you’ve made a difference in their lives,” he said.

Marino said making a difference in the lives of youth can led to a chain reaction, with the youth then making a difference in the lives of their friends.

Another freshman, Josiah Hoagland, said the fair allows students the opportunity to select an outreach that they feel they can serve best. He is volunteering with elementary school children in the Bible Buddies program at the Bemidji Evangelical Covenant Church.

Junior Ellie Shuka said she hopes to mentor girls in Red Lake this year through Youth for Christ as she did last year. During her first year at Oak Hills, she volunteered as a mentor with Kinship North.

She said volunteering is a good way to apply what she and other students are learning in their classes and is also what the college is about – “showing God’s love to our community.”

Not only does the volunteering help out the local churches and community organizations, it will shape the students for the rest of their lives, Magawa said. She said volunteering instills in students lifelong habits.

“I think that service helps make us complete, fulfilled people,” Magawa added.