Attention High Schoolers: It’s Time to Save the World

First, a brief intro from the author:

This is the third year that Cool People Care has allowed interns to be on the team and it’s going to be a complete reinvention of our influence on teens. The idea behind these series of articles, especially the ones later to come, is to encourage our young readers to get off their butts, get away from the books for a day, to rain check on some parties and instead to get out in the community and put the lives of others before theirs.

Don’t think that you have to be Bono to do some good in the world. Technology, publications, and word of mouth really have made it an even playing field, and anyone can make a difference. Check out some of the sites that go along with the non-profits featured in these online articles and you’ll pick up even more tips.

And, stay tuned: we will talk about why you need to volunteer to get into college or when applying for a job, you may be required to do some community service.

But right now, we’re all about how teens can get involved: Sam and Stephen’s book, New Day Revolution is in stores, and as you read this, CoolPeopleCare’s expansion is in full-swing. We’re going to bring our ideas to life and we love being turned on to new ideas, so please write to us and tell us all about you – we’re always ready to listen.

And now back to your regularly scheduled program:

Have you ever thought about volunteering your time to a local charity or community organization? Chances are if you’re in high school, you’re probably overwhelmed with school and sports and haven’t even thought about it. Who could blame you? Every day, all you hear about is how so and so has a 4.3 GPA or how Joe from across the street is getting a full-ride for football, but you never hear about the kids that give up their Saturdays and work at food banks.

That’s the problem. It’s not that you don’t care; it’s that you’ve got to worry about the rest of your life, and saving the world just can’t fit into your schedule. But that’s where you’re wrong. It can.

Why volunteer? Your reasons for volunteering are as individual as you are, but no matter what your reasons, you can get a lot out of volunteering. You can learn about yourself, learn about others, and meet a lot of interesting people.

That’s all great but seriously guys…what else can you get out of it?

Many schools have a new policy of community service for graduation requirements. It just so happens, that at my school, you must complete a certain amount of hours to graduate. And, being in honor societies forces you to participate in at least 8 hours of service a semester.

Okay, so you may have that covered, but have you started thinking about college yet? You know, a lot of colleges give out merit-based scholarships, and unless you are willing to fork over the $150,000, you’re going to need all the help you can get. With our new president coming in, there is a new regulation that will set a goal that all middle and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year, and there will be a new tax credit that is worth $4,000 a year in exchange for 100 hours of public service a year.

We haven’t even started talking about resumes. Without beefing up your application, it’s going to go straight into the reject pile. Doing stuff in the community, like other outside activities, plays a role in the admissions process because the type and length of involvement gives a window into the personality and interest of the applicant. It really shows the college how you work, how you take the lead, and how you are a well rounded student doing a good deed.

So it’s simple: get involved in the community, and voila! Harvard is going to come knockin’ at your door.

Ready to hop in? Just for fun, take a look at some well-known non-profits:

• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America: Mentor kids, shape lives, just be there.
• Special Olympics: Be a coach, a cheerleader, just be a friend.
• Habitat for Humanity: Build houses for underprivileged families, work with other teens, and hammer a couple thumbs. If you’re younger than 16, try Habitat for Humanity’s Youth United.
• Student Conservation Association: Restore hiking trails, work the trails with the youngsters, teach environmental education, learn to recognize venomous snakes, and get in shape while running away from them. Get in touch with your inner Bear Grylls.
• AmeriCorps: fight illiteracy, clean/build parks, and hang out with kids’ after-school.

If you don’t immediately gravitate towards any of these, don’t feel pressured into joining just because Susie from 2nd period is doing it. You need passion and the will to serve others, and with that, people will see the determination to achieve your dreams.

Check back next week for the next episode of how and why teens can save the world.