2 . Some mothers and daughters like to go shopping or walking together or picnicking as part of their bonding experience. Others become firefighters together. That’s the route that Montgomery County mother Betsy Gekonge took with her 17-year-old daughter Mokeira. The pair recently graduated from the Montgomery County Fire Academy together and received their Firefighter certificate.

The rising high school senior says she thought she’d be going to the fire academy alone. She never expected to have company. “This is quite out of my expectation because I never expected her to do it with me,” said Mokeira.

“Taking classes with my mom was fun because we could study together but also joke around. We share a lot of funny stories at family events,” Mokeira told the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association. “Montgomery County is a great place for new volunteers because you learn a lot from knowledgeable, professional firefighters in a positive environment. It teaches you a lot.”

Mokeira is one of the first individuals to gain her Firefighter certificate at age 17 since Pennsylvania’s law changed, making 17 —the youngest legal age to become certified instead of 18.

The pair will work as volunteer firefighters for Barren Hill Fire Company in Lafayette Hill. According to the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute, there were 300,000 volunteer firefighters across the state in the 1970s. That number dwindled (减少) to 38,000 in 2018.

“It’s really fulfilling to volunteer and learn about fire safety that helps us and others in our daily life,” Betsy added. “I’ve built a lot of relationships in our community through volunteering.” “Our decision was primarily motivated by this, and now I have gained great satisfaction from it. It gives me a sense of purpose and I’m helping to contribute to the solution,” said Mokiera.

3 . On 17 September 2023, Senior 1 student Charlie Robson was enjoying his dinner at the stand when there came a sudden scream from the boy next to his table, who accidentally swallowed the plastic wrapper stuck to the bottom of his food.

Seeing him unable to cough it up, the boy’s mother was immediately filled with fear as she stood there, patting his son’s back anxiously. “Somebody help! My son is going to choke with the wrapper in his throat.”

Charlie noticed that the boy’s face had turned complete purple. He knew he must take action immediately. Otherwise, the boy’s life was in great danger. Charlie quickly ran behind the boy and started doing the Heimlich maneuver (海姆立克急救法) whose theory is to push air through the airway to force whatever is in there out. Minutes later, the plastic wrapper was eventually forced out and the boy began to breathe again.

Seeing the boy was safe, Charlie rushed to the school without knowing his act of kindness went viral after someone in the scene posted the video on Tik Tok. Charlie’s father said, “I’m so proud of my son. He is a brave boy with great responsibility. He didn’t tell me what had happened until I saw the video on Tik Tok.”

Plus, the boy’s mother wrote to the headmaster, saying “The student who saved my son’s life the other day is really a hero. We’re so grateful that he stepped in to help when my son was faced with such a dangerous situation. Thanks so much for educating such well-rounded students with good moral virtues.” In response to the letter, Jimmy Mehwish, the headmaster of the school, said, “At the very beginning of the semester, Charlie has set a great example for all the students. His kindness really sets a tone for everyone else.”

4 . Volunteering is a great way to develop new skills, gain experience and connect with others. If you are interested in volunteering, here are some recommended opportunities.

Become a buddy to help young disabled people. You can decide how to spend your time together, whether in an art exhibition or a little concert, but remember to take care of him or her. We hope that you understand the importance of protecting people’s dignity, communicate with them patiently, and devote 3-4 hours every week to the project for at least six months.

We’re making an app to promote protection of our planet from climate change. We’re looking for someone who cares about the climate crisis and uses online design tools skilfully. If you are admitted, you will work at least 4 hours per week from home to help publicize green living, but you will learn a lot about marketing and brand building.

Your primary responsibility is to update structure data for The National Map using our mapping app. Structures include schools, hospitals, police stations, and other important public buildings. Since this is an ongoing remote computer-based activity, you can participate from anywhere you have reliable Internet access if it suits your schedule.

Make a change-making feature documentary with us. You will research, film, and bring to light some inspiring stories over the past 160 years. No prior skills are required, and you will receive professional camera training. You will work from day to night, so please get your body and mind prepared.