Volunteer Spotlight: Arush Kumar
Visiting from Kenya, Arush Kumar is a high school student who decided to spend his summer vacation volunteering at the EcoCenter. Bringing his enthusiasm, goofiness, and willingness to jump in wherever needed, Arush quickly became a fixture of Fenwick Hall.
“I decided to join EV because rather than being bored at my aunt’s house, I wanted to do something meaningful while I was in the U.S. this summer. I saw on the website that EV does nature walks and outdoor activities, and I thought that sounded fun; I want to do that.”
Showing up to every single Open Hours shift for six weeks straight, Arush brought a breath of fresh air and a heartwarming level of dedication to his role as an EcoCenter volunteer. In between watching World Cup games and traveling across the country to visit relatives, Arush would hop on his bike in Menlo Park and make his way to the EcoCenter, often arriving bright and early and ready to get started—even before some of us on staff had arrived.
“Volunteering abroad with EV turned out to be a grounding experience that taught me a lot about people and teamwork. Working day-to-day alongside local residents and other volunteers on community projects showed me how much can get done when people simply show up for each other.”
After Arush started volunteering with EV, he found himself spending more time outdoors than he usually would. “It’s very different from my everyday life. My family don’t really like going outside. It’s made me go outside and just cycle around the Bay Area. Otherwise, I’d just stay at home watching Netflix.”
From greeting a celebrity musician visiting from Nashville, to learning how to describe a bear skull, to competing with summer campers to see who could build the tallest stack of wood, Arush has interacted with people from all walks of life at the EcoCenter. He has grown more confident about talking with people and striking up conversations.
“Communication wasn’t always about speaking the same language; it was about paying attention, being patient, and finding common ground while figuring things out together. It wasn’t always easy to adapt to a completely new routine, but learning to listen and work through daily challenges with a diverse group of people gave me a wider perspective that I will keep with me for a long time.”
We were so grateful to have Arush as part of the team this summer! We wish him all the best back in Kenya and hope he’ll come visit us again someday.