Jada Irving is a hardworking 16 year-old. When she isn’t in high school, this teenager can be found volunteering her time at AdventurePlex weekly.

Born and raised in Redondo Beach, Jada is native to the Beach Cities area. She currently attends Redondo Union High School and became involved with AdventurePlex because she wanted to be ahead of the game for college. "My mom helped me find places that appealed to my interests,” she explained. When she stumbled across AdventurePlex, her love of kids made her think it was a perfect fit and since then, it has been. 

Jada volunteers at AdventurePlex weekly, and enjoys her time volunteering for Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) as a whole. “I like how everyone that works at BCHD is so helpful and nice to the volunteers. At AdventurePlex, it’s almost like a family and they really do treat their volunteers with a lot of respect,” she said. Jada fondly remembers ‘Parents’ Day Out’ because it was the first time she got to work one-on-one with the kids. "I formed bonds with the children that are regulars there and when I see them, this happiness shows on their face," she said. It was this moment that made Jada realize she could make a difference in these kids’ lives.

Her supervisor at AdventurePlex, Brenda Reyes, speaks highly of the teenage volunteer. “Jada is great, she definitely is one of our top volunteers. She is able to jump in and assist in any area needed whether it is taking care of the children, sanitizing and organizing, setting up and breaking down birthday parties and more. She has grown to become a great leader and role model for other volunteers. We are confident when she is volunteering that she is following procedures even when no one is watching.”

When this highly active teen is not in school or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her advice to others thinking about volunteering is simple and direct: “Do it!"

Written by Christina Parisi