For the People by Addison

For the People by Addison - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

When thinking about graduating and the classes that you are required to take, some people think that those classes are pretty good in preparing people for life after high school, whether that be college, the work force, or the military. However, something that is not typically required of students to complete or demonstrate is community service. Depending on the school district that you attend, you may have to show that you are volunteering your time to different organizations outside of school. But, for a lot of districts, this is not the case.

For a lot of school districts, there are clubs that require their members to have so many hours of community service to continue to be a member. Kiwanis and the national honor society are great examples of these clubs that do this. But, making community service hours required for every student, whether they are a member of these organizations or not, should be required. From my personal experience as a member of the clubs mentions above, volunteering in and for my community has opened new doors for me because I have found things that I enjoy doing that I would not have otherwise considered doing. I have made new friendships and connections that are meaningful to me. With the community service that I have participated in I have also been able to work on lifelong skills that would still be incredibly underdeveloped if I had not put myself into an uncomfortable position and forced myself to get out of my shell.

Community service is something that everyone should be required to demonstrate during their years in high school. If not for giving a small bit of their time back to their community and the people in it, then at least to help upcoming classes of students to better prepare themselves for life outside of school. Developing these skills are necessary to be a functioning adult in this society and the best place to work on them is out and about serving your community and surrounded by people who are doing the same thing.