ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 14, 1997 TAG: 9704160014
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SAMANTHA BORNEMANN
Name: Stephanie Waldron
Age: 18
School: Roanoke College
Year: Freshman
What she's done for others: Stephanie leads a group of 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds called the Awanas on Wednesday nights, teaches Sunday school to children ages 10-12, and helps coordinate activities for teen-agers at New Testament Baptist Church in Vinton.
"She's just got a love for kids, and she really loves the Lord," said Jay Richards, youth pastor at New Testament Baptist. "She's a phenomenal person."
Donna Thompson, a fellow volunteer at the church, said that by giving the children her love and attention, Stephanie serves as a grounding and stabilizing force in their lives.
"She relates so well with the teens and the children of younger ages," Thompson said. "The smaller ones just think so much of her."
And at a time when many teens are thinking about what they can do for themselves, Thompson said that Waldron is a refreshing change. "She's always thinking about the other person and how she can help another child. She's a good example of what a Christian teen-ager should be."
Other activities: Stephanie works 30 hours a week as a legal assistant at Cawthorn & Picard law firm. She's also planning a July wedding.
How does she find time to be an employee, volunteer, fiancee and full-time college student?
"I don't know," she said. "Little sleep and lots of tea."
I would like people to think of me as ...: ``respectable. I want to be somebody that kids can look up to and be a role model for them."
In my free time I like to ...: "When I have some, I spend it with my family and we do things together. I also like to read."
What I'd like to change about the world: "There are so many things. I want kids to have a better place to live. I wish that I could change the way education is for them, because most kids don't like school - they hate it."
Most important issue facing teen-agers today: "Their futures, because they're so uncertain, and they're in a stage where they're trying to plan their lives - and anything that they do, like drugs or alcohol, is going to mess up their futures, more or less."
The toughest lesson I've learned so far is ... : "The world isn't fair. That's the toughest thing to learn. You can't expect things to be handed to you - you have to be able to achieve."
My greatest thrill has been ...: "I'm studying education, and my greatest thrill is thinking that I will one day be able to help other students and kids in school."
My major goal in life is: "to make a difference to somebody or some people, hopefully."
My dream date: "Someone who's a Christian, someone who respects me, someone who cares about the world and about making a difference."
Plans: Stephanie is majoring in English with a minor in education and hopes to teach elementary school. "Preferably kindergarten, but I'll take what I can get."
Extra Credit is an occasional column that spotlights a teen-ager who is using his or her own initiative to make a difference in our neighborhoods, schools and communities. We think they deserve a public thank-you for helping other people. Nominations are sent in by our readers. Extra Credit nominees must be ages 12-18 and volunteering of their own choice. Send in the teen's name, age, phone number, what they're doing, for how long, and how it has helped someone else. Mail nominations to Extra Credit, c/o Features Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: CARY BEST/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Roanoke College freshmanby CNBStephanie Waldron volunteers three days a week at New Testament
Baptist Church. color.