By: Jonathan
Why should you volunteer? Between all your time already spent on homework, afterschool activities and catching up with friends and family, the thought of committing to more can seem overwhelming. Whether you’re just starting high school or planning on college next fall, there are some compelling advantages to giving your time.
Here are the top three reasons you should volunteer in high school.
- Volunteering doesn’t have to be indoors.
3) Gain valuable work experience
Whether you’re looking for a low-key summer job or a competitive internship, having real-world work experience sets you apart from all the other people applying for that same position. Community service provides an excellent way to learn valuable job skills and demonstrate to potential bosses that they can count on you.
With a variety of volunteer opportunities available to teenagers, you can develop skills in what interests you. By researching organizations, you can be sure to pick one that helps build your résumé.
You dedicate your time helping a nonprofit organization and in return, you gain work experience that helps get you hired. That’s not a bad tradeoff.
2) Shore up your college application
College admission offices carefully consider many factors when reviewing an application, such as grade point average, SAT or ACT scores and your college essay, as well as activities. Volunteering is an exceptional way to improve your desirability to colleges because it shows you’re involved in activities outside of school, showcases your character and, again, sets you apart from other students applying to the same institution.
- Invite your friends or family along to share in the experience with you.
Afterschool activities, such as volunteering, carry significant weight with admission offices because they reflect your ability to manage time, show your commitment to the community, and demonstrate your ability to learn and thrive outside of the classroom. Colleges seek students with these skills because they indicate that you’ll be able to handle the rigors of higher education.
Your volunteerism strengthens your college application and improves the odds of being accepted into your dream school.
1) Make your community a better place
Every community has needs, and many of the organizations trying to help are short staffed and lack resources to fulfill their missions. That’s where you can help.
Volunteering provides the opportunity to better your community and help those in need. At the same time, you’ll build relationships with people who share similar interests and may be from different walks of life.
Community service includes a massive variety of causes with many different ways to contribute. There are organizations that help the elderly, children, the environment, animals, the homeless, the arts and nearly every other need in your community.
Whether you’re singlehandedly setting up a recycling program for your neighborhood, or mentoring the kindergartener down the block, understand that you can make a difference. Your community will be better for it, and so will you.
Looking for local opportunities to volunteer? Join us at the STCU Community Volunteer Fair on April 13, 2013.
