Avery Jones (’25) hands a small guinea pig to a little girl at the Animal Assisted Happiness farm, expertly handling the animal. The visitor lights up with excitement, a large grin spreading across her face as she cradles the guinea pig, beaming with newfound love. The little girl stayed for an entire hour, and when she left, she told Avery with a bright smile, “I’m going to volunteer here, too!”

Avery started volunteering for animal shelters and pet related organizations at the start of high school due to her love of animals. One such place that Avery volunteers at is Animal Assisted Happiness, where people, disabled children in particular, can interact with a variety of animals. Usually, she handles the bunnies and guinea pigs. 

“At Animal Assisted Happiness, the people there are all trying to make a difference who share similar interests to me,” Avery said. “I really found my community there and that’s a big part of why I love it so much.”

Since she was a kid, Avery has loved animals, and her compassion for both pets and people translates into a profound kindness she shares with the people around her. Not only does Avery volunteer at animal shelters, but she also encourages her friends to contribute at places with her. Kyra Cui (’25) describes Avery’s deeply caring nature, always willing to lend a hand.

“She is super kind,” Kyra said. “That’s the first thing I noticed about her, she’s super kind and extremely patient. If I needed help with something she would help out. When she was teaching me and Valerie how to crochet, she was extremely patient even though we were pretty bad at it.”

Although there are challenges that Avery faces through volunteering with animals, such as inexperienced visitors handling the animals in the wrong way, Avery overcomes them with her patience. To volunteer consistently, Avery would leave school early sometimes if her shelter needed her. Eventually, through her persistence, Avery earned the 250-hour Presidential Award for volunteering. Avery’s persistence stems from her enthusiasm of making a difference in people’s lives.

“A specific aspect of volunteering that I love is just seeing the actual difference you can make,” Avery said. “It’s very fulfilling. At the farm, when kids or people with disabilities come in and meet the animals, you can see the joy that it creates. It’s really an unmatched experience to be able to see that and to be a part of creating that.”

Avery’s sincere care for animals led to her goal of becoming a veterinarian. She combines her love for animals with her drive to help those who need it most. 

“Animals are a big part of people’s lives and they often go under appreciated,” Avery said. “Something that I would want to help out with as a vet is being able to give cheaper veterinary care to people who can’t afford it, because I think that people’s pets are like their entire world sometimes.”

Besides volunteering with animals, Avery loves to crochet, bake and play the piano and the guitar. Her various passions bring immense joy to hanging out with her friends, as noted by her close friend Valerie Li (’25).

“Something that’s super special about her is that she cares a lot about people,” Valerie said. “It’s not just that she’s kind, she prioritizes her friends and her relationships over things like test grades or scores or personal gain. That’s something that’s very rare in this world.”

Avery’s consistent compassion for others shines through as she helps and tutors her peers in various subjects. Activities Director Kerry Enzensperger met Avery through her pursuits in volunteering, particularly when she was achieving her goal of the Presidential Award. She praises Avery’s thoughtfulness and supportive personality as one of her best strengths.

“What’s unique about Avery is that you can go up and ask her pretty much anything and she’ll help you no matter what,” Enzensperger said. “She is always willing to help others. I don’t think anybody ever feels uncomfortable approaching her with any questions.”

For Avery, her approach to life is deeply rooted in a simple yet powerful motto. Whether she is caring for animals, helping her friends, or volunteering for her community, her actions are always grounded in empathy and kindness for others.

“Treat others the way you want to be treated,” Avery said. “It governs everything that I do, because for me, I try to think about how everything I do is gonna affect other people. Would I want this to happen to me? I always try to put myself in others’ shoes.”