“I’ve been involved with BEF all four years of high school and was really excited to be a part of this year’s campaign. I love BEF’s mission and appreciate how it helps make opportunities like our Speech and Debate Club available to students like me. Volunteering for Answer the Call is a great way to help my school and our entire District.”
—Nicole C.
Sunset Speech and Debate Club, senior
Wow! Thanks to our generous community and amazing team of supporters, the 24th Annual Answer the Call campaign was a success and will continue to support innovative academic enrichment and advancement programs throughout Beaverton’s public schools.
- 6 nights of calls
- 250 student volunteers
- 760+ donors
But, Answer the Call is so much more than a fundraising campaign. Calling nights give opportunities for adult community leaders and Beaverton students to learn from each other and create deep connections.
It is a chance for students to grow real-life skills and give back to the educators they work with on a daily basis. For many students, volunteering represents a lot of firsts, including calling people on phones — a skill many students rarely use in their day-to-day lives. From first-time volunteers to returning supporters, all students saw their skills grow and how their work contributes to the overall goal in real time.
Here’s what some volunteers had to say about their experience:
“I volunteer to support my club and gain real-life experience. It’s preparing me for talking to people and practicing customer service — they like it when I’m happy, excited and talk about the opportunities I’ve had thanks to BEF. I’m happy to be here, get experience and learn.”
—Julissa T.
Westview MEChA, 2nd year as an ATC volunteer“I came tonight because [my teacher] Ms. Mugly is always encouraging us to do stuff in the community, for other people. It’s fun, I like helping out and doing something good. This is my second year with ATC and I’m more comfortable calling people. It’s definitely a good way to practice talking to people you don’t know, and that’s something you use a lot in the real world, like in job interviews.”
—Lizzie C.
BASE AVID Club member, 9th grade“This is my fourth year with Answer the Call. Philanthropy has always been part of my life, and it’s great to hear that many of our student volunteers have also participated in different ways to give back. It’s also fun to watch their learning curve throughout the night as students call community members to ask for support. It can be a rough go in the beginning, but then once they succeed, it really is quite fabulous.”
—Kimberly Ogadhoh
International Education Consultant and Community Volunteer, BEF Vice Chair