The Joys of Giving Back in High School

Completing high school volunteer hours can sometimes be an arduous activity. Your busy schedule filled with sports practices, extracurricular activities, college applications, and spending quality time with friends does not always lend a spare moment to volunteer service. Did you know that volunteer experiences are excellent resume builders and can even help decide what career to pursue in college? To ease your search for the perfect project, here are some of the best ways to make volunteering a fun, easy, and social task while beating the time crunch.

Busy after school?

• Organize a one day service project with friendsEnjoy the outdoors with friends and participate in a river clean-up through American Rivers. You can also host a care package assembly party with organizations like Operation Gratitude or Give2TheTroops to help out deployed troops, veterans, or wounded soldiers. Or, you can make blankets for the homeless and distribute them to your local homeless shelter
• Collect lightly used toys or non-perishable food items to donateCharities are always appreciative of food and toy donations, especially during the holiday months. Use this guide to decide where to send toy donations, or look up your local food bank for food donations.

Want to flex your tech knowledge?

• Teach computer skills to the elderlyYour computer skills are not only valuable for writing college essays, they are a valuable asset that you can share with the elderly or disadvantaged in your community. Net Literacy has a collection of free teaching guides to help you teach any group of people.
• Offer your social media skills to a nonprofitYour experience with social media can be an invaluable resource to nonprofits or other organizations in your area. Read about how technology has become a lever for social change or peruse this list of organizations that will help you find opportunities to put your skills to work.

Looking to get hands on?

• Organize a bake sale to raise money for your favorite charityBecome a culinary volunteer and show off your baking skills while supporting a good cause. You could get involved with an organization like Great American Bake Sale that uses grassroots fundraising and passionate youth volunteers to help fight childhood hunger.
• Create your own service projectHave a unique idea to help improve your community? generationOn, Points of Light’s youth service division, has a number of great resources to help you get your project started.

Have an active social life?

• Bring food to those who cannot leave their homeIf you have a driver’s license and access to a car, consider volunteering with an organization like Meals on Wheels to bring food to seniors and disabled community members who are not able to leave their homes.
• Discover a cause you are passionate about on DoSomething.org’s campaign pageYou can specify how much time you have available and find out how you and your friends can get involved in your limited free time.

Didn’t find your ideal service project listed here? Search for even more opportunities to have fun while giving back at allforgood.org.