In order for students to graduate from Carlsbad High School, they must have at least twenty hours of community service and the students themselves have the opportunity to choose where they spend this volunteer time. The City of Carlsbad provides several opportunities to earn these hours, and more specifically, the Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office seeks high school volunteers to help put on its interactive programs.

“I chose to volunteer for the City of Carlsbad because when I was younger, I lived in Carlsbad and I had always been one of the kids participating in its events and summer camps,” San Marcos sophomore Allison Goethals said. “I knew what it was about and that I wanted to be a part of its programs, specifically the art programs because that is what I do. I really like art, and I love seeing the kids who share my passion.”

Through the City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts Office, students are able to help out at several events including Family Open Studios, Concerts in the Park, Club Pelican and more.

“Family Open Studios is where families come and connect artwork that is currently in the Cannon Art Gallery with an art project that we help them create,” CHS junior Rachel Steele said. “There is also Concert in the Park where they have a band play and then we have an art project set up. We really help the families in the community connect with the local artists.”

Typically, volunteers are restricted to what they can and cannot do when helping out, but for the Cultural Arts Office events, all volunteers work as staff for the day. These events are hands-on, and volunteers are able to help participants create and share their artistic talents and interests.

“Volunteers come in and prepare the work space and art-making materials for the families,” Arts Education Coordinator Tonya Rodzach said. “Then during the work event hours, they greet people and share information about the exhibit and other programs that the Cultural Arts Office puts on. Our volunteers are really ambassadors of arts and culture in our community and specifically,  arts education.”

Several high-school volunteers for the Cultural Arts Office have completed their twenty hours necessary for graduation, but they still continue to volunteer because helping out with the kids and sharing their love for art in the community is a fulfilling to them.

“I just like the way volunteering makes me feel, and it may sound cliché,” Steele said. “Helping out makes me feel important and is emotionally rewarding. In the future, I want to do something that really makes a difference in the world, and this is like a stepping stone in that direction. I just love helping people create.”

One of the many goals of the Cultural Arts Office is for its volunteers to have a sense of love, passion and support for arts and culture even when they move on to their future career paths.

“I think art exposes you to different cultures, countries and places,” Sage Creek sophomore Alex Sonck said. “We live in a small beach community, and I think it is important to reach out and explore and find different things about the world.”