60 Lake County students build workplace skills through volunteer program

Before this summer, Tyler Gray already knew she wanted to become a nurse. What she didn't know was what working in a hospital would actually be like.

After nine weeks volunteering in rehabilitation, labor and delivery and discharge support at AdventHealth Waterman, the Mount Dora High School junior said she gained a deeper understanding of patient care and the people behind it.

“I’ve always wanted to become a nurse because I love helping people,” Gray said. “Now, I have the exposure, and I’ve gotten to see and learn different things. It’s been a real eye-opener.”

Gray was one of 60 Lake County high school students who graduated July 31 from AdventHealth Waterman's Teen Summer Volunteer Program, the largest class in the program's history. Participation grew from 35 students last summer to 60 this year.

Students completed orientation and training before rotating through departments across the hospital, where they worked alongside hospital staff and learned how clinical and support teams come together to care for patients.

For Emma Hawkins -- a junior at Tavares High School who plans to pursue a career in pediatric nursing -- one of the summer’s most meaningful experiences came while delivering a Cozy Cart stocked with comfort items and activities to patients.

“Through those conversations, I learned how important it was to listen and understand what each patient needed,” Hawkins said. “When I brought the Cozy Cart into patients’ rooms, I could see the room get a little brighter. They smiled and thanked me, and I saw how a thoughtful interaction could make their experience more comfortable.”

Not every student entered the program planning to work in healthcare.

Gerardo Ibarra Villarroel, a Liberty Christian Prep junior who hopes to become a commercial pilot, said volunteering helped him grow more comfortable working with people in a professional setting.

"Working with people -- it's a real job experience," Ibarra Villarroel said. "The staff here were very detailed when explaining things to me, and that really helped me understand my role and how to support the team.”

For Kara Toth, nurse manager of AdventHealth Waterman’s stroke and neurology unit, the students’ experiences are familiar.

She began volunteering at a Southeast Florida hospital when she was 15.

Those summers shaped her future and now influence how she supports AdventHealth Waterman’s teen volunteers.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do, but after spending two summers as a teen volunteer, I knew I wanted to be with patients, and now, here I am as a nurse,” Toth said. “That’s why I have a lot of appreciation for our teen volunteers. They have an opportunity to touch lives and tap into their own interests, which may bring them back to the hospital as future healthcare workers.”

As a not-for-profit health system, the program is one of the many ways AdventHealth supports the community, giving students hands-on experience and a clearer view of potential future careers.

Karen Ivison, manager of AdventHealth Waterman’s volunteer services, said the program introduces students to the wide range of jobs needed to run a hospital, from clinical care to nutrition services and business support.

“Our Teen Summer Volunteer Program gives students meaningful experiences that may shape their future careers,” Ivison said. “Watching them grow in confidence while serving our patients and community has been incredibly rewarding.”