Students often feel lost when it comes to finding volunteer positions that allow them to make an impact. The Oregon Zoo, Solve Oregon and the Portland Children’s Museum are a good fit for students interested in animals, the earth and people.

In the Sylvan area of Portland, the Oregon Zoo is conveniently located near many Lincoln students. Zoo Teens is special program for teens to gain essential speaking and leadership skills with a focus on conservation.

Cenendra Hancock, a sophomore, has been volunteering with the zoo since the summer of 2017 and says that this program is “for people who are interested in animals and conservation,” and who are willing to complete 100 hours of volunteering.

Solve Oregon runs events that help keep Oregon clean. Beach cleanups, litter cleanups and removal of invasive species, are all common events for volunteers. Lauren Watt, a sophomore, has been working with Solve for about a year and has organized her own events.

Watt spoke highly of the program.

“When organizing an event, you can see the impact your work has,” she said, adding that “volunteering with Solve is very rewarding.” Even with a time commitment, Watt notes that “[volunteer time] depends upon what you choose to do. You can simply attend an event after signing up, which is normally one to five hours” or that “if you organize an event, you will likely put in about 10 hours of work to prepare for it the first time.”

Students may also like volunteering with the Portland Children’s Museum. Located in the vicinity of the Oregon Zoo, the museum is easily accessed by TriMet.  A great place to work on public speaking skills and working with children, students who have a more creative side may find their place. For this volunteering students should fill out an application on the website and wait for further instructions