Thursday, March 08, 2012 By Reann Dela Cruz While volunteering at the Glendale Adventist Medical Center, sophomore Alejandro Espinosa delivers patient files to different hospital wings. - Courtesy of Alejandro Espinosa Advertising Helping hospitals and preschools (March 8, 2012) -- As sophomore Alejandro Espinosa pushes patients through the brightly lit hallways of Glendale Adventist Medical Center, echoing sounds of doctor-to-patient conversations accompanied by heavy coughs fill his ears. The two-year hospital volunteer spends a few hours of his week escorting discharged patients to their car. “I’m a very big people person,” said Espinosa. “I get along well with people of all ages.” Coming from a large family, Espinosa is accustomed to interacting with adults, both familiar faces and strangers. “With a big family, you learn to put others before yourself,” said Espinosa. “And putting the patients before yourself is what counts.” Along with escorting patients in and out of the hospital, Espinosa handles documents, files and equipment. “It was overwhelming at first because they put so much responsibility on you before you really understand what you’re doing,” Espinosa said. With a few week’s time, however, Espinosa eventually grew accustomed to the routine associated with his job. Having over two years of hands-on experience with patients, Espinosa has grown fond of the tall and sanitary buildings. Other than his hobbies, he hasn’t been as committed to an activity as he has with the hospital. “When I began volunteering, I was determined to study medicine after high school,” said Espinosa, “but after getting a first-hand experience of what goes on in the hospital, I’ve lost interest in medicine and [have become] more interested in engineering.” Similar to Espinosa, junior Rasha Dandachi believes that taking advantage of all the volunteer possibilities available in the community is a great way to get a better idea of what students’ post-high school lives may offer. As with all jobs, these students go through the same application process, regardless of the volunteering opportunity they apply for. For Espinosa, applying to the hospital was a long process, taking weeks to turn in application forms, attend group meetings, testing and training. “I can understand why the hospital would go through such a long process to find volunteers.” said Espinosa. “They just want to make sure all of their volunteers are trustworthy and responsible.” According to Espinosa, the application process wasn’t difficult. “I’m sure that good words roam through the streets of Glendale about Clark,” Espinosa said. As a preschool assistant at Grandview Presbyterian Church in Glendale, Dandachi works with children on a weekly basis. For a few hours a week, she becomes an on-site babysitter. “I love working with little kids,” Dandachi said. “It’s a lot more fun to interact with people, regardless of age, than to sit behind a desk doing the same things every day.” With experience as an older sibling, Dandachi is no stranger to caring for those younger than her. “Working with children definitely requries a lot of patience, but the outcome of entertaining and playing with them is worth it,” said Dandachi. According to Dandachi, the three- to five-year-old children she cares for are often sensitive. With easily-triggered tears, Dandachi, over time, has learned different ways to comfort them. “It gives me a really nice feeling because I know that I was able to make them stop crying on my own and I get to see the huge smile on their face when they’re playing again,” she said. The preschool assistant aspires to become a psychologist after realizing that she’s fond of listening to others and making them feel better. Having been raised by a mother who teaches preschool children, Dandachi learned at an early age that she wants to help others. “From an early age, my mom taught us the same life lessons she teaches her students,” Dandachi said.

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