<p>Recently, I've been thinking a lot about community service. I heard somewhere that it was overrated and the AOs see right through that, but I still really want to volunteer. Currently, I go every other week for about 3 hours to volunteer with my mom. I really enjoy it and wish I could go more often, but the place is far from our house.
I see that some people have volunteered with orphans in other countries or built houses in Africa (the last one is an exaggeration). Even when I look on the Andover site, there are kids who have raised over 10,000 dollars and traveled to Tanzia to deliver bikes. How do they do it? I haven't been able to find any place that accepts kids that young to travel all over the world and do what the do.
The chances of my parents letting me do that are slimmer than my chances of getting into Andover, but I would still love to find a way to raise money and get involved. If anyone knows of any companies or organizations that could help me help other people, please respond. Any advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>ignore those pay-to-play volunteering programs (ie, oh, pay 5000 dollars and you can volunteer for 2 weeks in costa rica, yay). i’m not saying those programs don’t do good-- i’m sure they do, but try community service on a smaller scale first – ie volunteering at homeless shelters, nursing homes, hospitals, animal shelters. i can’t imagine how community service could ever be deemed “overrated”, i think it’s hugely rewarding and actually FUN to do. of course, if you suffer through your volunteer hours and do it solely for college, i’d imagine that’s pretty easy to see through. there are opportunities that suit eveyone, i think, you just have to look.</p>
<p>those kids who raised 10k and gave bikes and all that are obviously EXCEPTIONAL; they’re the exception, not the norm. i’d imagine you’d need ample resources/a strong vision/strong motivation/determination/funding or a mixture thereof to be able to pull off something like that. if you’re capable, that’s fantastic, but most aren’t, so taking advantage of smaller opportunities is far more plausible. start small.</p>
<p>companies or organizations that can help you help people? honestly, just google: “(your hometown) volunteering”. there are tons of opportunities. you can also try talking to your guidance counselor.
community service is NOT overrated- it’s vital for lots of people. it’s only “overrated” if you’re solely doing it to clock hours. it’s awesome and i highly recommend you get involved. best of luck!</p>
<p>Schools and parents like to see young people get involved in CC so that you, the next generation, continues to help make a difference in the world. It’s not a competition about who donates more. Simply find something that matters to you. Every little thing we do to help others makes a ripple effect in this world. One persons contribution in a local food and coat drive is as important as another persons donated time teaching children how to read or building homes in Africa. Find your passion and the AOs will see that you didn’t just do it for your resume. Your leadership qualities will shine through in this process.</p>