Summer Junior Volunteers Gain Valuable Experience at Texas Children’s

The Texas Children’s Summer Junior Program presents a prime opportunity for Houston teens to learn about the health care industry at the biggest children’s hospital in the country. Our Volunteer Services department hosts the program designed to provide high school students (ages 15-17) with an opportunity to volunteer at various campuses.  

As early as 1955, Junior Volunteers at the Medical Center supported patients, families and staff through various volunteer assignments and interactive engagements. The tradition continues today. Over 300 prospects submitted applications to participate in the program at the Medical Center in 2024. Of these, 43 summer juniors from 25 schools across the Greater Houston area were accepted into the six-week session. West Campus also welcomed 19 junior volunteers representing 12 schools and The Woodlands had 12 juniors from nine schools. Remarkably, summer Juniors across our hospital system served over 9,300 hours. 

“It’s amazing to see the continued interest in this program, not only from the students but also from our team members who want to help them learn,” says Aileen Rago, assistant director of Patient & Family Services. “We received overwhelming positive feedback again from this year’s participants. They made long-lasting connections with mentors and learned across many disciplines in the hospital.” 

Texas Children’s team members work in two, three-hour shifts Monday-Thursday with the students. Some of the most popular placements across campuses are the playroom, fun cart, crafts in the lobby, slant room, snow cone cart, outpatient playrooms and Guest Services. Lunch and Learns with guest speakers from various hospital departments like Social Work, OT/PT and Patient Experience are part of the experience.  

Second year Baylor College of Medicine Student Jose Ramirez, who was a summer junior himself years ago, also spoke to students this year. Learn more about Jose, his journey, and other heartfelt stories of service at Texas Children’s. 

Watch this video to learn more about Texas Children’s Summer Junior Program. Applications are typically accepted in February each year. For more information or to apply, visit the Volunteer Services website. For questions, contact the Volunteer Services office at (832) 824- 2257 or [email protected].