Civic Engagement In The Community

During my volunteer hours I learned a lot about my own community I that I have not been able to experience. For example I have never been able to participate in so many writing programs and workshops in my local high school, this is because I also did not attend my own local high school because my mother did not allow me to instead, she asked me to attend a charter school. By partnering with LA826, I was able to attend different writing workshops where I would help different high school student write essay, cover letters, and personal statements. Furthermore I believed that most of my activities consisted of just being able to listen to some of the students.

The focal point of current educational trend in the United States is on preparing the leaders of tomorrow (National Task Force, 2012). Student success has been expanded to include civic responsibility which is a dimension of the college experience largely ignored until recently (Upcraft, Gardner, & Barefoot, 2005). The Department of Education has taken this charge and developed the National Task Force for Democratic and Civic Engagement. This initiative places developing civic responsibility as a national priority based on the tendency of young people who are often too caught up in ‘narrow collegiate worlds’ of their own existence to understand the larger role of being a contributing member of society (Upcraft, Barefoot & Gardner, 2005). Thus, engagement as a participating citizen living in community is frequently beyond the scope of young student leaders in college. Due to this, the government has renewed its interest in creating civic-minded young people prepared to advocate for change. This has led the charge for a civic engagement initiative nationwide.

Throughout my high school career, I have continuously adhered to the qualities of participation, engagement and leadership through being a good citizen, and have not only begun to impact my local community, but also communities abroad in my state. Active involvement in The Boy Scouts of America has helped develop these qualities I hold and more. My volunteering in county-hosted Christmas events, multiple eagle projects, Brown Bag Ministry, street cleanup, student tutoring, technology assistance, and others has combined to over 160 total service hours in just the span of four high school years. Active citizenship continues to show me different ways of life in my own community and is illuminating. What it also creates is initiative. Through participation with my local fire department, I have been able to identify a need of my community and start to address it. I have volunteered my time for the fire department, and together with the Assistant Fire Chief, we are starting to create a new department website and digital

In tenth grade, my English teacher posed the class with a question: what are you going to do for your community? She emphasized the importance of making a positive impact, even if it meant simply smiling as you hold the door open for someone. She prompted us to go out of our comfort zone and do something for our community. While I had been volunteering at Church and at school, I had never really taken a step out of my comfort zone. Instead of just helping out in, say, a soup kitchen, I decided that it was time

Volunteering has taught me that there are many ways to contribute to the community and as small or large those contributions may be, they all make a difference. Volunteering also allows you to meet new people who share common interests as you and it unites people from diverse backgrounds to work together to give back to the community. Writing book reviews and contributing something so small, can have a great influence. Because I value reading and enjoy it as both a hobby that also has educational benefits, I take pride in knowing I am urging other young people to read and gain as much from it as I have. Taking part in the adopt a shelf program has taught me valuable organizational skills and also assists the library staff in keeping the library an organized and productive environment. By joining the interact club, I have gained a new sense of awareness, respect, and empathy for others in the community. Prior to joining interact, I was not aware of how many people around us are in need, and just how it easy it is to make a difference. By donating a bag of clothing or nonperishable foods to fundraisers, each individual can have significant impact on the lives of others in the community. My personal experiences and involvement in both interact and volunteering have shown me that it is crucial for everyone to give back to the community in order to make a difference, and has urged me to get involved and find more ways in which I can contribute to

When I began my Civics class, thinking it potentially difficult and boring, I did not initially look forward to this project. However, as I did each activity, I found myself enjoying each and every one. From sitting in a board meeting to collecting trash, I discovered something new in all of the ways I volunteered. Not only did the people I volunteered for gain something through my service, but I feel that I gained a lot as well.

Community service, one of the several pillars outlined by the National Honors Society (NHS), is defined as the desire to work and serve the community in order to improve the conditions for the citizens who dwell in it. Most importantly, those who uphold those standards do so without the need of money, or recognition; they are simply intrinsically motivated to make the world a better place. It wasn’t until I volunteered at an event hosted by the Jubilee Center that I learned the true meaning of community service and charity.

For the assignment civic engagement, I volunteer in four projects Temple, Bernie Sanders, Elementary School, and VTA transport to complete my 16 hours community service. However being a part of these amazing projects, I learn and experience a lot of things that how to interact, encourage, and help other peoples.

I am a graduating senior who shows civic-mindedness by volunteering at my local YMCA. I believe by helping the younger generation, it helps me to develop the skills that will be essential in my future. In continuation, these skills will have a big impact on my profession career.

Civic Engagement is a necessary focus that many young adults overlook. It is about learning and knowing how to fight for one’s belief or a noble cause, and trying to bring about change to a social or political condition (Parisella, 2013). The Washington Center’s Civic Engagement Framework required some components such as attending two modules that addressed issues of public concern and strategies for citizen participation, a public policy dialogue, and direct service. The first two served as an educational purpose to teach students how to get involved and finally the direct service allowed the opportunity for students to take action and volunteer. Therefore, I wanted my civic engagement to relate to the hazardous things that humans are exposed

My project relates to the course objectives twelve and seven this is because it talks about inclusion, in which all types of diversity are respected, appreciated, and valued in America. As well as the vital role of the people in creating and maintaining a society through voluntarism and civic engagement, a role that can complement and replace the role of the government ensuring the well-being of society. Civic engagement involves “working to form a distinction at intervals the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of information, skills, values and motivation to form that distinction. It suggests that promoting the quality of life throughout a community, through every political and non-political process” (Erlich, 2000). Civic engagement includes every paid and unpaid style of political policy, environmentalism, and community and repair. Volunteering is one kind of civic engagement. Many of the nation’s volunteer’s group are youngsters. 59 percent of teenagers in the U.S. are recorded for their participation in youth volunteer. Most youth volunteers do so out of selflessness and by wanting to make a difference throughout other individual’s lives.

During the last century, American involvement toward civic are falling into a slump. This could mark a new era of history for democracy but the question is what happens when only about 5% of American will take part in civic. Since World II American civic engagement are greater and they are more likely to trust their government and community but over time the people trust is beginning fall. What could have caused this trust issue? Well, the problem here is over time the people begin to see a lot lies the government feed them, for an example, the Vietnam war was one of the reason that caused American reduce their trust the government as bomb the country with a lot of civilian casualties but the government only showed American the shooting part.

The responsibilities include one’s respect, cooperation and participation with members and towards the community. Even children’s have the right to general need such as food, safe home, and clothing. Their guardians or parents are responsible to provide the necessary care and need for the children. However, most prominently citizenship today requires people knowing of public problems and acting together to solve the problems. Volunteering to help the community illustrates a lead participation within the community. This means taking role to join cleaning up the environment, visiting hospitals or nursing homes and share joy and love with them simply through communication. Moreover, volunteering can be intending of fighting a wrong in the community purpose for the common good. In other words, forming a group alliances and building up the strength to stand up against injustices. There are many instances throughout American history such as abolition of slavery, the women’s suffrage, civil rights movement, environment movement, public education and much more. By working together, we learn respect, honor, and responsibilities of rights. The benefit of at the most by encouraging the people in our community to participate would result in a better chance of more participation than not doing anything. Children or adults in a schools or institutes can join cleaning events, volunteering

The organization that I have volunteered for is YMCA. Volunteering at the YMCA taught me how and why civic engagement is so important. Civic engagement is when citizens participate in helping their community to be better and make improvements for the entire community. It gives the chance to show the how we operate when we incorporate our differences and work together toward the community’s common goal. Making our communities more powerfully built through civic engagement increases how many active participations in the community we have. We have to teach future generations about how important civic engagement is. As a community we need to inform them of the benefits of participating in more civic engagement. There are so many ways that citizens

“Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together” (Ryan). These words said by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, reflects the words my parents would always say to me when I was little. I would donate old clothes that did not fit, or toys I did not play with anymore. Every summer I would volunteer at my town’s public library, as well as at my church. However, as I got older, doing the simple tasks at the library felt tedious and uninteresting so I stopped volunteering for a while. There were times when I had spare time that could have and should have been put to use volunteering, but I did not have the motivation. However, after being inducted into my High School’s National Honors Society, I needed volunteer hours in order to remain in it. This was the motivation I needed to begin volunteering again.