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As spring quarter ends and students rapidly cram for finals, summer awaits them, merely days away. Some may choose to take classes or travel, and others may work part or full time in summer jobs and internships.

Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center

Boys and Girls Club [HTML_REMOVED] Wallingford Club

To tutor in the drop-in or tutoring programs, e-mail Meghan Sweet at msweet@positiveplace.org.

To volunteer as a coach for an athletic program, contact Adam Monda at amonda@positiveplace.org.

Treehouse for Kids

For more information, send an e-mail to volunteer@treehouse4kids.org or visit http://www.treehouse4kids.org/get_involved/volunteer/volunteer.htm.

UW Medical Center Volunteer Services

Phone: (206) 598-4218

Call to sign up for an information meeting on volunteer opportunities.

Others choose to serve the community, donating their time and energy in unpaid volunteer positions.

In addition to year-round community service opportunities, many nonprofit organizations in myriad fields [HTML_REMOVED] including education, environmental activism, and human needs [HTML_REMOVED] rely on volunteer workers, many of whom are local college students.

The Carlson Leadership and Public Service Center, located in Mary Gates Hall, is the most important on-campus resource for students seeking volunteer opportunities. One of its service learning programs, Students in Service, a division of AmeriCorps, allows students to receive an academic scholarship of $1,000 - $2,360 in return for a service commitment of either 300, 450 or 900 hours over 1 - 2 years.

Students in Service Coordinator Matt Wojciakowski said he feels the program is a great opportunity for students who aspire to partake in community service, but are concerned about financial issues.

"It's really nice because they're able to fulfill their desire to serve the community and also get some kind of academic award for it," Wojciakowski said. "They can either do all their hours during the summer time, or they can work part time during the academic year. It's totally up to them. We have many students who just work full time all summer long and vice versa."

He added that a longer-term commitment is beneficial both to the student and the organization, as it allows them to develop a deeper relationship than during a short-term project.

"Generally, when students make a longer commitment to the organization they work with, they begin to develop a much deeper responsibility. They really start to see some of their efforts come to fruition and feel like they're truly making a difference."

From working with children to assisting hospital patients, there is something for everyone who wishes to volunteer this summer.

For kids at heart, or simply those who enjoy working with youth, the Boys and Girls Club offers multiple volunteer opportunities this summer, including many that continue throughout the academic year.

Widely known for their extensive day camps, the Seattle Boys and Girls Club is looking for volunteers this summer to help out with their daily field trips, and to supervise and organize games during drop-in hours.

Volunteer Director Crystal Barnard said she feels working with children is an especially rewarding opportunity.

"We were all kids once, and most of us went to some camp or another," Barnard said. "We all have the memory of that awesome counselor or someone great who touched our lives in one way or another. It's an immediate and tangible way for students to make a difference, especially considering how a lot of kids at our club don't have a positive adult role model at home. You can feel and sense that you're impacting these kids' lives for the better."

During the school year, there is also a demand for drop-in tutors and activity instructors, Barnard said.

"Even if you're only coming in a few hours a week, you're touching their lives," she said.

Treehouse is a King County organization serving the needs of foster children by providing social and educational support services. Founded in 1988, Treehouse provides foster children with such childhood essentials as summer camp fees, a new backpack for school, or a pair of basketball shoes.

While many children take basic items such as school supplies, sporting equipment, and clothes for granted, foster children often lack the means to get them, as they usually come from abusive or neglectful homes, Treehouse Volunteer Director Shaunessy Jones said.

"At any given time, 15,000 kids in the state of Washington are in foster care," Jones said. "By providing these kids with the things they need, we're reminding them that they're just like any other child, and that they deserve them."

Treehouse is looking for volunteers in its store, The Wearhouse. There, foster children can shop for free several times per year, and get much-needed clothing, toys, school supplies, and even computers, all of which are donated by community members and local businesses.

"Right now, we really need people to help sort through donations, help with tagging, and work the floor and cash register on days when the store is open for shopping," Jones said. "We couldn't do the things we do if it weren't for our dedicated volunteers. It's also great if you're interested in working at a nonprofit and want to get a feel for what it's like."

For anyone who enjoys working with people or is considering a future career in medicine, the UW Medical Center runs an extensive volunteer program with myriad positions available.

Patient escort positions allow the most personal contact with patients, as they involve transporting patients by wheelchair, delivering flowers, and even just chatting with them. Many positions require that volunteers have worked in an escort position beforehand.

There are also many customer service-oriented positions. The gift shop is seeking volunteers to work the register and to serve as personal shoppers, assisting patients and other customers with their needs.

While the duties of volunteers are fairly simple, their work is essential to the daily operations of the hospital, UWMC Volunteer Manager, Cynnie Foss said.

"The medical profession is all about serving patients and their needs," Foss said. "By investing your time with us, you're helping our medical staff do the jobs they were trained to do, and in turn, you're improving patient care. In a large medical institution like ours, this is essential. It mightn't seem like a big deal at first to be a patient escort, but having a friendly person to talk to can really impact a person's day."

Reach reporter Katie Stapleton-Paff at features@thedaily.washington.edu.