By Paola, 17, junior
Volunteer work is something high school students have on their mind constantly because they need a certain number of hours to fulfill graduation requirements. The number of hours depends on the county/state.
Last summer, I volunteered at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) and got a total of 192 hours. Although I need only 75 to graduate and 100 to qualify for a Bright Futures Scholarship, I decided to work more hours to stand out among college applicants.
Volunteering looks good on job applications, too. It helps you gain experience for everyday life, such as babysitting, and gives you a chance to see if you like a certain career. It could also lead to part-time work or a full-time job
At the JCC, I was a counselor for kids ages 3 to 5 who were enrolled in tennis camp. I taught them how to play tennis, took them to the pool and playground, and supervised them during snack time and lunch. I was also responsible for sign in and sign out.
I thought it would be hell on earth working with small kids, especially 10 to 15 of them, Monday through Friday, but it turned out to be a pretty cool experience. The kids were well behaved (for the most part), and it helped that I worked with two other counselors.
I started on July 3, about halfway through the camp, and finished the Friday before school started on Aug. 20, so it was possible for me to get more hours.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I learned things about dealing with kids that I didn’t expect to know until I was older, such as how to get them to listen without yelling at them. Tip: Speak in a stern tone. I also learned some things about myself, like how good I am at thinking on my feet. When it was raining one day, the kids couldn’t go outside, so we did arts and crafts with stuff we found in the closets.
This summer, I’ll be back at the JCC doing the same thing to get more hours to qualify for a silver tassel to wear at graduation (500 hours needed.)
If you don’t enjoy working with kids, there are a lot of other places to do volunteer work, such as pet stores, law offices and martial arts dojos. Ask around your family and see if anyone can hire you for community service hours this summer. Coaches often hire students to do volunteer work, and that’s how I got my work at JCC.
Another good way to find out about volunteer opportunities is through your school counselor. She often knows employers who are hiring for the summer, and it’ll be easier to get your hours done. Students are usually given a packet to document volunteer hours, and the employer has to sign off on it. Tip: Show your boss what hours you’re documenting and make sure to remind him/her every week what you’ve done. Come to an agreement on how many hours you get per week. Many of my friends decided to wait until the end of the summer or the middle of the school year to document their hours and ended up getting rejected.