A Guide to High School Service Projects
April 8, 2010 | Natalie
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Senior Service Projects: the final roadblock to graduation. Most high schools require seniors to complete a certain number of community service hours before they’re handed their pretty-ribbon wrapped diploma. When fourth quarter rolls around, though, and students find their projects are still in outline form…well, it’s time to get down to business.
Community projects don’t need to be viewed as forced volunteerism; when you approach them instead as an educational opportunity that benefits others, hopefully some of the skeptic/pessimistic attitudes will diminish.
Although all schools vary in the amount of hours a student needs to complete, it’s safe to say that anywhere from 10 to 50 hours can seem daunting. The key is finding the right project that makes those hours fly by. So what can you do when there’s nine weeks to graduation?
Organize a Book Drive: This one is astonishingly easy. A book drive is as simple as contacting local businesses and receiving permission to place donation boxes at their venues. The library, the high school, the grocerysStore – just a few ideas. Write a blurb for the paper, your school newsletter, or the daily announcements and viola: let the books flow. If you’re wondering “who in the world needs used books?” – well, turns out a lot of people. New Orleans Recovery, Books for Troops, and if you’re feeling particularly ambitious book donations can be sent through groups working in Africa (although shipping becomes an issue). Check out GotBooks for donation opportunities.
Throw a Supper: For this project you’ll need a venue (school commons, community center, church) a cause (jazz band, cancer, Haiti recovery – to name a few), and a few good friends who can help make batches of spaghetti or a couple hundred baked potatoes. Food brings people together, and people bring donations. Advertise your Spaghetti Supper/Baked Potato Bar/Chile Night as a bring-your-own-plate and put a suggested donation out ($5), however, many people will give more for a good cause and good food.
Other Places to Help: If taking a big leadership role just isn’t in your schedule try volunteering at a local nursing home or your public library or even talk to an elementary school about reading to classes a few times a week. Some kids in my class even worked a TA (Teacher’s Aid) into their schedule and had it count towards service hours by nixing the school credit.
If you’ve gone on any service work with your church, talk to your school about having that work count towards your hours. My annual trip to El Salvador turned out to account for all my individual project hours (we also need group hours at my school). There’s always someone or something in the community that needs a little extra help, and for only a little extra work those service hours will help guide you to graduation instead of pulling you back.
