High Schooler's Volunteer Club Helps Teens Beat Social Anxiety

Providence Koss's heart felt like it would explode the first time she volunteered at a Winter Garden Squeeze baseball game. The shy incoming freshman could barely talk to strangers, but she kept showing up anyway.

That summer changed everything. By pushing through her nerves at the ticket booth and concession stand, Koss discovered she actually enjoyed meeting new people.

Now she's giving other students the same gift. Koss launched Game Changers, a volunteer club at Horizon High School in Florida that connects teens with service opportunities across their school and community.

The club started small during the 2025-26 school year with just four or five friends. Today it regularly brings groups of students to help with theater productions, sports games, and the same baseball team where it all began.

Julia Mendes, now the club's vice president, joined because Koss was her friend. "I was super introverted," Mendes admits. She never imagined she'd be comfortable working ticket booths or running concession stands.

But something magical happens when teens volunteer together. They learn to handle difficult customers, strike up conversations with strangers, and discover confidence they didn't know they had.

"I used to overthink things and wonder if I was doing something wrong," Koss explains. "Now I'm just like, 'No one really cares.' I just have to push past the restrictions I put on myself."

The confidence spills into the classroom. Students who once dreaded icebreakers and group projects now participate without that familiar knot of anxiety.

The Ripple Effect

Game Changers works differently than most clubs. Members don't need to attend meetings. They just show up to volunteer when they can, making it perfect for busy students who want flexible service opportunities.

This summer, the club returned to where it started. Instead of Koss working alone among adult interns, Game Changers now brings up to nine student volunteers to each Squeeze game. They handle ticketing, concessions, and fan engagement, making operations smoother while building friendships under the shade of the concession tent.

The impact reaches beyond the students themselves. Theater productions run more smoothly with extra hands. School sports events have better staffing. And the Winter Garden Squeeze gets reliable help from enthusiastic young volunteers.

For Koss, there's an unexpected bonus. Her dad, Brian Koss, works as the Squeeze's Assistant General Manager. Volunteering together has given them something special to share. "We don't have a lot of common interests, so this has become something we bond over," she says.

As word spreads through social media and excited member recommendations, Game Changers keeps growing. More shy freshmen are getting the same chance Koss had to discover their courage through service, one smile and conversation at a time.