Kidtoberfest: Community Analysis

During the months of June and July, I volunteered at the Gene Rodenberry Planetarium in El Paso, TX. Working as a Volunteer Leader during planetarium events (both indoor and on various locations in the El Paso region). I have actually volunteered at the Gene Rodenberry Planetarium for about 2 years, and every day I was able to learn something not only about the universe but also on how to improve myself as a leader.

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

BETA Club and National Honor Society promote academic excellence and service, therefore I have helped in several events. For example, I gathered boxes filled with toys for impoverished children. Also, I helped host a dinner to honor local veterans in an effort to give thanks to those who have sacrificed everything in the name of service. Interact Club has also given me ample opportunities to help my community, from setting up a food drive to making blankets for Project Linus. These clubs instilled a strong sense of service within me and motivated me to find more ways to which to help my town.

Assisted young children between the grades of preschool to 8th grade in their education. I decided to volunteer because the children of today will be the children of the future and the more smart and educated they are the better they will be in the future. Another reason I helped was because it is hard for young children to adapt to the lifestyle of constantly moving from one place to another. Since their parents are migrants it can have a negative impact on them and their education. I remember one little girl is from Florida but every summer her parents move up to Michigan to work in the fields, but once the harvest is over they move back to Florida. She was behind in school and with the help of teachers and myself we motivated and helped her out so she was able to catch up. I really enjoyed volunteering the past two summers ago at the summer migrant program. If I had another opportunity to help I

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.

When I became a junior I started to become very active in my local community. This experience can be credited to Key club (a community service organization) Key club has connected me with the community in a way I never knew.

In the course of my time at Union County College, I was able to participate in measures that aided my community and those in need. I took part in the donation and creation of care bags which were donated to the Salvation Army. This initiative was made by AESNJ as part of their statewide drive to help those who lack the resources needed to obtain day to day necessities such as hygienic supplies, socks, tissues and other essentials. Additionally, I made a financial contribution which went towards aiding Syrian children. Helping individuals in need encouraged me to participate in Strides against Breast Cancer a walkathon which generated money for women whose lives were impacted by cancer. The financial donations assisted women who were unable

In todays society there are many things that people can be involved in. One is volunteering. Local organizations around my community are always looking for people to come in and help volunteer with the young and the old. A local Boys and Girls club is one that I volunteer at when ever I get a chance to. Volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club has allowed me to help the boys and girls to have a safe place to come learn and grow while having fun. It is a place where young people can come and know someone cares about them. Volunteering makes a difference in the lives of boys and girls in the community. (Volunteer1) Volunteering with the Boys & Girls Club has taught me more about the organization, what a volunteer does, and what I can learn from volunteering.

When I was in high school I was actively involved in my community. I have tried to get as involved here at UNCW but have not found the resources that I was looking for until now. In high school, I was a Teacher Cadet, a Breakfast Buddy and a member of JROTC. Teacher Cadets was a program at my high school where students who had been selected by the coordinator, with letters of recommendation from other teachers, were already well involved in the community and could be trusted were picked to go out to various middle schools and teach lessons to different grade levels. In some instances, you were paired with another student, but most often you were alone. We went to two schools each week and a third every other week. Not only did we have to create

Throughout high school I participated in numerous volunteer opportunities. I had the opportunity to be my high school's basketball team manager my junior year of high school. As the lady blazers manager I was in charge of attending games, practices, recording fouls and games, as well as organizing the food for the players after their games. However, I also devoted my time to things other than sports. I also volunteered every year at my school's registration for new student. My school, IDEA Quest, places a lot of emphasis on new student registration because new students are given an opportunity to preview their life at IDEA. Therefore as a volunteer of the new student registration I would speak at the student panel about my experience as an

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

During the week in Chicago, I grew closer to God, learned how to be a better leader, and learned to put others before myself, which is what helped me become a better person. Serving others that had situations worse than I could imagine was life changing. The idea I could make such a tremendous change in someone’s life while doing activities I enjoyed, opened my eyes to the potentials of serving. After the week ended and I returned home, I wanted to do more for the people around me who were less fortunate. Going into freshman year, I made the decision to volunteer at Urban Vision. I help kids who have newly immigrated to Akron and the United States find items at a holiday shop for their families and themselves. Many of these kids went directly to the necessity aisle, (i.e. toilet paper, laundry detergent, and soaps) to get these items for their families, even though there were plenty of toys for the kids themselves. These kids helped me realize I should be grateful for everything in life, from shelter over my head to the clothes on my

While at Washington College, I sought to become involved with children in the Chestertown community and learn how to inspire an interest in history. Although the college offered many volunteer opportunities through clubs, none involved interacting with the local school district. Volunteering at the animal shelter, while fulfilling, did not

Allyene, Sonia, ed. "Volunteering Helps You, Too." Black Enterprise 37 (2007): 74. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Benedictine University, Naperville. 2 Apr. 2008. Keyword: volunteering.

Taking time to volunteer at the many nonprofit organizations, homeless shelters, advocacy centers, philanthropic fundraisers, local schools and child care facilities in the inner city is not always at the forefront of young people’s minds while navigating through their college experiences. But, with a little push from student organizations, local nonprofits and passionate individuals, volunteerism and community change can start to take a front seat and become not just an opportunity, but also a priority in the lives of young people.