
DATE: Thursday, April 3, 1997               TAG: 9704010142

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Cover Story 

SOURCE: BY KATHRYN DARLING, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  134 lines

A CARING TEEN-AGER MEGAN MCKINLEY'S UNSELFISH DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS HAS BROUGHT HER THE YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

IN SOME WAYS she's your typical teen-ager.

Megan McKinley lives with her mother in a townhouse in Ghent, attends a private high school and is a romantic.

The 15-year-old attends First Presbyterian Church of Norfolk on Sundays, spends two weeks every summer with her grandparents in Pennsylvania, studies Spanish at Norfolk Academy and wants to attend The College of William and Mary.

But in other ways, Megan is unusual.

She was only 14 when she decided she didn't want presents at her next birthday party. Instead she asked her friends to bring nonperishable food items for her church's food pantry for the John Knox Apartment complex for lower income elderly.

From Megan's perspective, she didn't need birthday presents.

``I already own lots of stuff and would rather help a lot of people,'' she said.

The 30 party-goers collected 200 pounds of food.

Megan's generosity wasn't just a one time event. In the past year, she has given 355 hours of volunteer service to her school, her church, and many other organization in the Norfolk community.

Earlier this month, Megan was honored by VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads as a role model for other tee-agers. At a banquet at the Waterside Marriott Hotel, Megan received the only Hampton Roads Volunteer Achievement Award for youth. Also honored were 18 adult residents of Hampton Roads, 13 groups and two nonprofit volunteer programs.

``We hoped other teens could learn from her,'' Cherylann Sherwood, the public relations manager for Volunteer Hampton Roads, said about Megan.

The largest chunk of Megan's volunteer time is spent as head student athletic trainer for Norfolk Academy's athletic department.

Four afternoons a week after school and two weeks at the end of summer, Megan spends what could be free time assisting in the athletic training room, on the practice field and even at games.

She's learned how to tape injuries and how to tape to prevent injuries. She's mastered icing down and learned what stretches will soothe a sore muscle.

Students even stop her in the hallways between classes, asking for advice on nagging injuries, said Laura Huff, a cheerleader at the school.

``Every day in the training room is a learning experience,'' said Luann Robinson, one of the athletic trainers at the school. She and Chad Byler, the head athletic trainer and assistant athletics director, teach the student trainers how to evaluate different injuries and master new taping techniques, she said. Before they can use the new technique on an athlete, the student trainers have to practice on the adults.

Megan, who wants to major in sports medicine in college, ``is interested in doing everything right and is always quick to learn,'' Robinson said.

Megan is serious about her future profession.

``She's kind of small, and she'll read up and study in these huge 600-700 page books. I've seen her spend her breaks reading,'' Robinson said.

``Even though everyone around her is having fun and relaxing, she's still working hard.''

Megan also works hard at her other volunteer projects.

She has bagged food and painted shelves for SHARE, a regional food-sharing program; served as an alternate for the soup kitchen at her church; and worked as a teacher's aide three mornings a week in the church's summer enrichment program.

Megan's birthday party isn't her only attempt to involve her friends in helping.

Last spring she convinced three friends to help paint a house in Park Place for the Paint Your Heart Out program the weekend after her birthday.

At Norfolk Academy, Megan belongs to REACH, a community service club. Every week the club sends two students to volunteer at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center Thrift Store, the Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen and other community projects.

``Megan is the first to raise her hand and volunteer,'' said Laurent Berger, one of the club's co-presidents.

Co-president Joe Denny said Megan is faithful and enthusiastic. ``She encourages others to volunteer regularly . . . Students in the club respect her because she's had so much experience in the community, and they follow her example.''

Last October, Megan talked three other friends into joining her as costume-character escorts at the Children's Festival at Town Point Park.

Freeman Thompson Jr., a sophomore at Norfolk Academy, said he volunteered because of Megan's enthusiasm and invitation.

Freeman and Megan have been friends since the second grade.

``I knew that if Megan was suggesting something, it was worth thinking about. All I had to do was show up and walk around, and that sounded kinda cool,'' he said.

``It was fun because I knew I was doing something that helped other people - that made other people happy,'' said Freeman, also 15..

``She's unique,'' he said. ``She's not like most 15-year old kids.''

He may be right. Megan has been volunteering all her life. Literally.

Her mother, Karen McKinley, a social worker, used to take her infant daughter along with her when she volunteered at training programs and conferences. She'd lay Megan on a blanket at the side of the classroom or put her in a Snugli baby carrier while she taught the class.

As Megan got older, McKinley chose volunteer activities that could include Megan.

When Megan was 6, McKinley was the administrator for a new mental hospital in Puerto Rico. A single mother, McKinley said she would take Megan with her when she visited conferences on neighboring islands, where the idea of a mental hospital was not readily accepted.

Megan, fluent in Spanish, charmed people into taking information about the new hospital, she said. ``She'd even show you her picture in the brochure.''

At the hospital, Megan helped out in a unique way. Since she knew the language so well, she'd take visiting doctors, psychologists and nurses on tours of the new facility.

``The best way you can teach children is by example,'' McKinley said. ``So I included her in what I did. Now Megan has branched out.''

Megan and her mom still volunteer at some of the same organizations, but they each pick a function that suits their skills.

At Hope House, McKinley has a 72-year-old mentally handicapped friend that she spends time with. Megan works in the information booths at the twice yearly art shows that benefit the non-profit agency.

``I've grown up and grown to love helping people,'' Megan said.

``I think it's important to help people not just financially or with food - they need emotional help, even if it's just someone to talk to. It's the whole picture. It's a way of life.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color cover photo by Martin Smith-Rodden

Megan McKinley

Staff photos by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN

Megan McKinley, 15, left, volunteer trainer, jokes with classmate

Pam Markowski, in background, as she stretches Christine Mantz's leg

in the sports medicine room at Norfolk Academy.

Megan is a familiar face on campus at Norfolk Academy, often being

stopped for advice by injured athletes.

Megan, as Festfrog, talked two friends, Freeman Thompson Jr., left,

and Kathleen Toone, right, into helping at the Festevents Children's

Festival. KEYWORDS: PROFILE