Community Service

It is so important for students to get involved in community service!  They do not realize what they also get out of it until they actually get involved.  First they need to locate a volunteer organization or activity that fits the student's interests.  If they love animals, check out the human society.  If they love to play music for an audience, check out the retirement homes, they love music and visitors.  If they have a tight schedule, look within their own community to rake leaves, shovel snow or babysit for neighbors.  Students learn the value of giving back to their community.

There is another advantage to students, most college applications and scholarship applications also ask about community service.  I teach a college readiness class and I encourage students to keep a log of community service.  A simple list of what community service they did, when, how many hours and the name of an adult that could verify if needed.  It may be a good idea to keep some kind of contact information on that person as well, a phone number or email for later use if someone needs verification.  The student may also use that contact information to request a letter of recommendation for a scholarship, college or job.

I recommend students start giving back to their community when they are young but start documenting when you become a freshman in high school.  Start small and investigate lots of opportunities to decide what is the best fit for them.  If they do not know where to start, call the local United Way, they usually have a list of organizations needing help.  Also check with high school teams and organizations, swim teams need volunteers as timers, clubs need help with their competitions and many club do community service as part of their regular activities.  If that does not yeald enough ideas, start contacting local organizations, retirement homes, Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, March of Dimes and the list goes on and on.  Just get involved!