Hi everyone! I have a question on a community service project I’ve been working on
During the Summer before ninth grade, I went to Ethiopia and taught at a school for orphans. I really enjoyed it there so, at the end of the school year, I lead a fundraiser at my school for new/used (but in good condition) school supplies. I plan on taking them to the orphanage this summer since they pretty much don’t have anything there 
. Additionally, I plan on teaching again this-this summer and the rest of my summers in high school for about a month, and will hopefully continue to have fundraiser and drive at my school for years to come.
NOW don’t get me wrong, cause I love helping these kids out. However, I’m just wondering how would this look on a college app? I mean am I doing enough or too little in the eyes of an elite college (such as Princeton)? Because I know most kids applying are do something stellar… And also, I have been told that doing things like going to a third world country to help out orphans is something that is considered to be “cheesy” on an app, but honestly I’m doing it because I want to 
. However, I don’t know if the reader of my application is going to know that.
So in conclusion my main questions are:
What do you think of what I am doing?
Should I do more?
Is it “cheesy”?
Ideas on how to get local community/school involved AND how to raise more money?
Thanks so much for reading it (if you actually go through the whole thing xD ) , ask any questions, and please respond asap!
I think you might be looking at community service in a somewhat sideways manner.
The problem with the ‘going to a third world country and helping local children’ variety of service is not as much that it’s cheesy, but because of the questions it raises. The airfare and lodging involved with going to a third world country is a pretty large sum, and in all honesty, as a high school student, the amount that you can accomplish (compared to the resources you have expended) is really not that much. Often times, that kind of service is meant to help the high school student more than the local children.
The point is, there really are a lot of opportunities to help out humanity in places closer to home, in which you might be able to make more of a difference. Often, these are the projects that might be more helpful to pursue. I’m not sure where you live, but there are often homeless shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, etc. that are always looking for volunteers or extra hands to help out.
I don’t doubt your desire to make a difference - I was very much the same in my first few years of HS (I was quickly disillusioned, however.) However, you might want to consider if there are similar opportunities that do not lie in a third world country.
In terms of college applications, IMHO it will be difficult to talk about this without giving off a very bad impression. The ‘looking at poverty from a position of privilege’ is a hard angle to work in a college essay, and just mentioning/listing it won’t help you out - especially since, like you’ve mentioned, the reader of your application will definitely assume that you’re doing it solely for college applications.
In reference to the sum of the airfare and such, I have family that live in the country. I go there every summer to visit my grandparents there, stay over at their house, and walk over to the school (since my grandparents live close by). That’s why I decided to help out here, because people were in need in they were in my (temporary) community. I just come back to them every summer to help out more as i visit my see my family.
Because of the family ties, this is obviously a different situation from the one that most high school students are describing (where a privileged kid airdrops into a developing country and proceeds to ‘help’ without much understanding of local needs and conditions or on-going investment in the community’s success.) You have a unique personal perspective and opportunity to make a difference so kudos to you for taking advantage of that opportunity.
One issue to consider is that of sustainability- once you are in college/no longer able to visit and work every summer, how will you sustain momentum for the project you have undertaken? Are there others at your US school who could continue your work in this community, with your (less involved) support? Are there others in your overseas community who can continue your work locally with some additional training? Or access your contacts in the US to maintain the stream of funding and support? Are there international organizations working locally with related objectives that you can get engaged in the community through your contacts there? Do you plan to continue your engagement through college and if so, how and in what capacity? Think about what you are doing as if you were creating something that was meant to outlast your own personal, hands on participation.
If you are able to take your engagement to another level by creating an impact that outlasts your own direct involvement, you will have accomplished something really important. Not only does the community benefit, but you will learn a great deal in the process - and schools will certainly be interested rather than dismissive.