3. Volunteering Opens Teen’s Eyes to Nursing

The following human interest story appeared in the Detroit News in 2008.

If you asked 13-year-olds to make a list of their favorite after-school activities, visiting with the elderly probably wouldn’t be a top choice. But it would be for John Prueter, son of Keith and Barbara Prueter of Essexville, who says he’d spend time with older generations every day if he could.

“All the older people are nice people,” he said. “They like to see young people come visit in these homes.” Prueter, a seventh-grader at Cramer Junior High School, spends much of his after-school time at the Alterra Sterling House, an assisted-living home in Hampton Township.

Prueter got into volunteering with the elderly almost two years ago when his great-grandmother, Mable Post, suffered a stroke. Always close to her, Prueter visited her regularly when she was in the hospital. After 100 days, she was transferred to Alterra, where she still lives. Now, instead of coming just to visit a relative, he comes to volunteer and visit with everyone. He is the youngest of Alterra’s regular volunteers and one of the most frequent visitors.

Prueter spends his time there helping with activities such as cooking and gardening, playing games with residents and just chatting with them. He speaks to the residents on a level that makes them feel good, said Pam O’Laughlin, executive director for Alterra’s Bay City campus. “He has a unique ability to communicate with these folks,” she said. “He’s not timid. They look forward to him coming.” Prueter sometimes takes the residents small gifts, such as cake on a birthday, and often calls them when he cannot come in.

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He’s willing to help Alterra’s staff with any activities, O’Laughlin said. For example, he helped residents make cheesecakes for Easter. He helps with gardening and crafts, and calls the bingo games each Sunday. He also helps with mail delivery, assists nurses and helps residents get ready for special trips or concerts.

Virginia Ball, an 85-year-old resident, says Prueter visits with her regularly when he stops in. He runs and answers her phone when he hears it ringing down the hall and helps out with other tasks. “He’ll offer to fold laundry,” she said. But if there is nothing to do to help, Prueter will just sit in her room and chat. “He seems to enjoy talking to older people,” Ball said.

His service at Alterra earned him an outstanding youth volunteer award from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6950. Prueter wants to be in the marching band when he moves up to Garber High School. But he says he doesn’t plan on letting practice get in the way of his visits to Alterra. Even after high school, Prueter hopes to continue working with the elderly by studying nursing. He says he became interested in the field because of his volunteer work.

His dream job, he says, is working where he volunteers now.