Community Service
Uploaded by taylor_44 on Mar 06, 2009
Volunteering; is it a good deed, or a burden? Helping others should not be considered a burden. Volunteering is a way to brighten others’ lives and brings a feeling of satisfaction upon yourself. Schools today should have mandatory community service in order to graduate. It can create useful citizens and teaches students strong leadership skills. Along with a positive effect on the community, it builds character, and creates skills one can carry with them for a lifetime. Whether a student is forced to volunteer or not, students should be willing to help out their community. Community service programs are an excellent way to get involved and can truly make a difference in peoples’ lives.
Mandatory community service being established in some schools today can be the first step for students to realize the investment we all have in our community. Acts of kindness towards others in a community encourages and influences others to pursue volunteering, obviously, the people they are helping are benefited but they receive a feeling of fulfillment for themselves. If every student volunteered in their own community unlimited changes could be made in not only individual lives, but the overall community would be a better place to live. Although making a difference in one person’s life isn’t changing the world, people are helped along the way, and that is what truly matters. If nothing else, students realize and have a greater appreciation for what they each have, and the opportunity they’ve been given. Getting involved lets you become a more valuable citizen and sets a good example for younger generations to come. Beyond a doubt, volunteering benefits all who are involved.
Involvement in a community can end up becoming ones’ life passion. Three students at a local high school in Silver Spring, Maryland were required by school district to perform 75 hours of service in order to receive a diploma. Three years ago, Sophomores Matthew Yalowitz, Sarah Thibadeau, and Annie Pierce started the Montgomery Ultimate Story Exchange (MUSE). This after school program gives elementary students and opportunity to be paired up with a high school mentor and each week write to their mentors via E-mail. In response, mentors make compliments and suggestions to better the young students’ writings. “That E-mail can make a huge impact on the students,” says Matt, now 18. This program teaches kids writing skills and...