PL Spotlight: Trina Enriquez

[Jessica Sutton]

Project Leader Spotlight

This week we spoke to Trina Enriquez, a HOBA volunteer since 2006 and Project Leader at Taft Elementary.

1. Favorite HOBA project?

I love learning, so I gravitate toward projects like Taft Elementary and occasionally others such as RAFT (how they re-purpose castoff stuff into educational materials and games is so creative and fascinating!) or ESL projects. But I dig the one-offs too: PLing at the Girls on the Run Lollipop Race in December was rewarding because it combines girls' empowerment and running—two things I feel strongly about.

2. Why did you become a PL?

I'm pretty introverted so I figured it'd be a good challenge for me to step up to a leadership role. Someone once told me that being a good leader is about bringing out the best in the people around you—being caring and perceptive and helping them develop their strengths. I've always liked that definition because it could accommodate different personalities that maybe aren't stereotypical "leader" quality. Plus, the more involved you are in something, the more invested you are in it; I wanted to PL because it brings home to me just how much what I do as a volunteer, what we all do, matters.

3. What do you do when you’re not leading volunteer projects?

Oh, wow. Well, I lovelovelove working out at Undisputed Boxing Gym in San Carlos, for the tough workouts and the camaraderie—it gives me energy for the rest of my day. Currently I work full-time at Sunset magazine and attend grad school part-time at Stanford, too.

4. Why Volunteer? Why HOBA?

I've always loved that HOBA gives me the flexibility to volunteer as my schedule allows. Admittedly I haven't been able to take on as many projects as I'd like since grad school ramped up, but I appreciate that HOBA allows me to fit it in when I can. I like the intimacy of smaller projects and the fact that many of the same ones are offered consistently. But I also love the project variety, from gardening at the Edible Schoolyard to ushering at the Fremont Symphony—it lets me experience sides of the Bay Area that I might not otherwise, and from a viewpoint I wouldn't've known about.

5. Either/Or's

Newspapers or magazines?

Magazines! But then, I work for one, haha. I really do enjoy the magazine experience, though—just snuggling on the couch to read at leisure and pore over the photos and stories. Love cutting them up for scrapbooks, too.

Trains or Planes?

Planes. They take me farther away.

Movies at home or at the theater?

At home, always. I flip on a movie and work on a scrapbook.

Wheat Bread or White Bread?

Whole-wheat toast. With condensed milk on top. Trust me, just try it.

Stay tuned for next week's PL Spotlight! To nominate a stellar PL please email [e-mail]