When many people think of vacation, they think of sunny beaches and surfing, skiing resorts, amusement parks, and Broadway performances.  Most people use their vacation for rest and recreation from work or school.  However, some people use their vacation time to benefit the community rather than themselves.  Junior Vasundhara Rawat is one of those dedicated people.

Last summer, Vasundhara visited India on vacation, but relaxation was not her primary concern. Instead of visiting one of India’s popular tourist attractions, such as Taj Mahal, she spent 15 days volunteering.

“I went to India on vacation and I helped young kids who were around seven- to eight-years-old and helped them learn English,” she said.

Vasundhara enjoyed her experience as a volunteer.  Instead of volunteering for a particular organization, she took the initiative on her own. On weekdays, she spent one hour volunteering, while on weekends, she spent two hours volunteering. Despite the short hours, Vasundhara enjoyed her experience working with the children.

“I had a good time with the kids.  It was a pleasure to teach them,” she said.

Vasundhara volunteered for organizations including Gandhi Corner and PALS in ninth and tenth grade.

In school, Vasundhara is a member of Science National Honor Society and Interact. Rawat enjoys tutoring for Mu Alpha Theta. She also plans on working at a church near her house.

Vasundhara aspires to become a nautical engineer. She would consider living in India as an adult, partly as a result of her volunteering experience.

“I would go back to India if I were to become a doctor, but if I were to become a nautical engineer, I would stay here [United States],” she said.