Catalyzing Positive Community Change After School by Hannah

Catalyzing Positive Community Change After School by Hannah - September 2019 Scholarship Essay

If I had the opportunity to create a high school extracurricular activity it would be a Community Activity Board that would serve the needs of the local community and create bonds outside of school between students, teachers and their neighbors. In high school, students spend so much time looking inward, focused on good grades, performing well in sports and being well-liked, often in pursuit of being accepted to college. I’ve learned that, while good grades and good friends are important, it is equally important to be involved in building a thriving community outside of school. In their 2011 report, “Social Impact of Volunteerism,” the Points of Light Institute details how volunteers create stronger neighborhoods. A Community Activity Board in high school would connect students with the world outside of their school, helping them become engaged members of the community. The Board would foster involvement and unity among students, teachers and the community in which they live, work and learn. Building a healthy, happy community means working together to address the challenges people face. A centralized Community Activity Board in high school coordinating volunteer activities would help lay the foundation of a strong community.

Studies have shown that individuals who volunteer feel a greater sense of purpose in their lives and tend to experience lower levels of stress. However, the impacts of volunteering extend far beyond personal benefits. The unique skills and knowledge volunteers provide to local organizations are critical in creating a feeling of inclusiveness, serving the most vulnerable among us, and promoting community growth. Volunteers who are members of a community provide insight into the needs of their community and make a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of others.

Many volunteer activities that students and members of the community do on their own could be coordinated by a high school Community Activity Board. Adults and students interested in helping with homelessness could work directly with shelters to supply them with necessities, as organized by a central Community Activity Board. The committee could coordinate holiday celebrations honoring community members, such as on Veteran’s Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day, bringing students together with those being honored, forming a more lasting bond. High School programs often need volunteers to work concessions, ticket-booths, decorate for special events, make copies for teachers and perform other administrative duties. Opening those opportunities up to community members would build a larger pool of volunteers while creating feelings of loyalty and connection toward the school and community beyond parents and students.

Many elderly, sick and low-income people in communities rely on nonprofits, which in turn rely on volunteers and donations. However, if there was a coordinated effort from community members to lend a helping hand to their neighbors, an effort a Community Activity Board could lead, it could free up nonprofits to focus on larger issues facing the country. Lawn mowing, gardening and weeding, babysitting, housework, shopping - all these daily activities often become problematic for seniors, those suffering from illness and those on a lower-income scale but could be accomplished by volunteers on the Community Activity Board.

When students, teachers and neighbors come together to share their talents and time with each other, lives are improved, and communities are enhanced. A high school Community Activities Board would be an extracurricular activity would catalyze positive change and create an impact felt outside the school’s walls, lasting long after a student’s graduation day.