With the end of the school year approaching, many may be wondering how they’ll complete their required hours of community service. While it’s true that community service hours are often times required for school programs, clubs, and look good on college applications and resumes, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to it than the hours.

Volunteering for different events and organizations allows people to develop a richer perspective of the world they live in. Not only will one become aware of the people around, but one’s desire to help others will also flourish. Interacting with other people and engaging in good causes will also lead to the expansion of one’s worldview, development of leadership skills, and the portraying of one’s empathy and goodness. Community service allows one to see and experience first hand, what it’s like to impact the world in a positive way. 

“As an AVID student, I’m required to complete a specific amount of community service hours by the end of the school year. I personally think that community service is important because it shapes citizens to be humble and it shows society how the real world is. I believe that engaging with your community is something powerful that everyone should participate in. It has taught me how to have compassion, how to be humble, and how to grow as a person,” Freshman Ofelina Bravo said. 

“It’s important for young people to engage in community service. They’ll try new things, make connections in the community, and have a sense of fulfillment and pride. Volunteering is an opportunity to feel inspired and involved in something meaningful,” said Sarah Turnbow leadership skills and english teacher at North said.

Community service allows people to help others, but how does it help them? Volunteering has many benefits, more than one would think. Three of the main and most important benefits include cognitive, psychological, and social benefits. Volunteering can enhance people’s personal knowledge, and allow them to grow from their personal experiences. Likewise, people who volunteer are often times more prone to develop better interpersonal communication skills. Volunteering can also increase one’s overall life satisfaction. Not only does it allow people to feel better about themselves, but it helps ease depression and lower stress. In the same manner, volunteering engages people with the community and allows special bonds to be created. Through new friendships, social awareness and the sense of responsibility is more likely to increase.

” I think that volunteering is beneficial not only for the community but for individuals as well. The benefits that people gain depends on the service they give and the activities they’re involved in. Everyone learns and gains something different, no experience is the same,” student Kaeden Davis said.

Looking for ways to get involved? When it comes to community service, there are limitless ways to get involved. Some websites that provide a variety of opportunities include Volunteer Match, Volunteer Kansas, and United Way. Other opportunities can be found in soup kitchens, hospitals and skilled nursing care centers, food banks, animal shelters, Habitat for Humanity, local libraries, and non-profits such as the YMCA.  

Community service can mean multiple things for different individuals, but one thing in common is the humanity we all share. The underlying goodness in people is reflected through the lending hand and service that they give. All that’s missing is the will to do it.