Teaching students to give back

Danette Goulet

CORONA DEL MAR -- Mary Schiendler may not be a classroom instructor,

but she has been named Teacher of the Year for her outstanding efforts to

educate children.

The Volunteer Center of Orange County named Schiendler as the

recipient of the title on Friday for her commitment to teaching students

the value of volunteering their time.

“I felt very honored,” she said. “It thrilled me, and I felt honored

because there are so many wonderful people out there doing great things

in Orange County.”

While Schiendler is not a credentialed teacher, officials at the

volunteer center said they considered her the perfect candidate for the

award.

“It’s for a teacher who has really been instrumental in getting kids

to volunteer,” said Susan Schuman, a spokeswoman for the center. “She is

a delightful lady.”

As the community service coordinator for Corona del Mar High School,

Schiendler set up more than 1,200 students with volunteer positions

throughout the community. At least 100 nonprofit organizations benefited

from the work of students whom Schiendler guided their way.

“I was the community service coordinator for four years, and in that

time the students at Corona del Mar have contributed more than 100,000

hours into the community,” Schiendler said proudly.

It was Schiendler’s job to find out what groups needed volunteers and

then to pass that information on to students.

She tracked students through their high school careers and is proud to

say that no one failed to graduate because of a lack of community service

hours.

The key to her success, she said, was to get students to do things

they enjoyed.

“Kids learn a lot about themselves in doing the service,” she said.

“We encourage them to pick a service project that is related to something

they like to do. That way, when they are out there, they are having a

good time and having a positive experience.”

Schiendler left her position at Corona del Mar High this year to help

spread the program to Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s other three

high schools.

Don Martin, Corona del Mar High’s principal, said the school was sorry

to see her go.

“She’s a great person and really took our program and made it a model

for community service throughout the county,” Martin said.