The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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November 24, 2009

EHS student catches community service bug

By Bridget Nash Staff Writer

Helping others is highly addictive.

At least if you are Jennifer Newton.

Newton, an Enid High School student, has caught the community service bug and found helping others is a fulfilling pastime.

“I just started out helping at my church and that turned into helping at nursing homes,” she said.

Newton helped direct and write a “walk-through” drama for Oakwood Christian Church and then decided she would like to venture out into the community and help others.

“I volunteered at the Methodist nursing home,” Newton said. “I took mail to the residents.”

In June, Newton finally turned 17, which meant she could do something she had been wanting to do: Donate blood.

“There’s always a need for it and it could save someone’s life,” Newton said.

Newton also recently took the time to help some children she may never even meet.

“I collected about $220 and bought toys,” she said.

Newton delivered the toys to OU Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, she said, but she didn’t get to see the children receive them.

“We just had to drop them off, but it still went to a good cause,” she said.

Newton plans to spend some more time with kids when Oakwood Christian Church begins its tutoring program again.

“I think that children should have every opportunity to learn the things being taught at school if they don’t understand at school,” Newton said.

When she graduates in May she will have 22 college credit hours and she already has plans for her future.

“I plan to go to OSU and major in athletic training and then go on to medical school,” Newton said.

In medical school Newton plans to pursue the study of oncology.

“It has interested me more than any other field of medicine,” she said.

She is the daughter of Dan and Dana Newton, of Enid.

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