Teen's Volunteer Work with the Active Transportation Committee Takes Him to New Places — College

Growing up in Brigadoon, Kamar Wilson loved riding his bicycle with friends. But, as he entered his teen years and was old enough to venture further out on his bike, he realized that his neighborhood and other surrounding homes and businesses were not well connected to facilitate pedestrian travel – everything seemed to be built with motorists in mind first.

“As a kid, I loved riding my bike, but if I wanted to go somewhere with my friends, to the store or something, there wasn’t a safe way to get there – there were stretches along busy roads with no bike lanes or sidewalks,” he said.

Now in high school in Virginia Beach, Kamar’s school counselor told him that the City was recruiting youth volunteers to serve on various City Council-appointed agencies. He volunteered to fill the student vacancy on the Active Transportation Committee, because he knew he had a perspective that could help make a difference.

Since joining the committee, Kamar’s most significant contributions have been helping with the development plan for Virginia Beach Trail – a 12-mile-long, 10-foot-wide shared-use path that stretches from the City’s western border with Norfolk to the Oceanfront. The project is the top priority in the City’s Active Transportation Plan and will advance safety for both bicycle and pedestrian users – exactly what Kamar hoped to accomplish as a volunteer.

In fact, Kamar, a senior at the Governor's STEM & Technology Academy at Landstown High School, discussed his work with the Active Transportation Committee during an interview panel with The Posse Foundation – a non-profit organization that identifies, recruits and trains individuals with extraordinary leadership potential. Posse Scholars receive full-tuition leadership scholarships from the foundation’s partner colleges and universities. Kamar’s accomplishments impressed the panel so much, he was awarded a full ride to the University of Virginia, where he’ll be enrolling in the fall to study engineering and play on the varsity soccer team. Once his training is complete, he is considering returning to Virginia Beach and using his knowledge and talents to further contribute to the community.

If you’re interested in volunteering on one of the City’s numerous appointive agencies (as a resident or a student), simply submit a Talent Bank application to the City Clerk's Office. Or, learn more about the variety of other volunteer opportunities within the City by visiting the Office of Volunteer Resources. 

The City also is gathering resident feedback on transportation throughout Virginia Beach as part of its Comprehensive Planning Process. Visit SpeakupVB.com to complete the Master Transportation Plan survey through March 22. There, residents will find additional opportunities for feedback and everyone is encouraged to create a profile to receive notification about future public input surveys. Responses to the Master Transportation Plan survey will be used to inform discussions about important transportation issues that impact quality of life, such as congestion, equity and more.

• Take Survey
• Talent Bank Application
• Volunteer Opportunities