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Ideas NEEDED for Community Service Projects (9th grader)


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How about sanding down and repainting/refurbishing old bikes and donating them to shelters or charities? There's a lot of elbow grease put in, but the satisfaction element is quite high, because you can visably see the changes.

 

How about speaking to some seniors who need a fence painted, yard weeded/mowed? Is there a widow at your church? Your son could be her helper to do whatever for her at these set times, and she would be so grateful!

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Here are some that DS is doing or have done:

 

Food Bank --- ours the min age is 16 unles a parent is present.

 

Animal Shelter & Animal Rescue

 

Assembled Christmas Child boxes for Samaritan Purse

 

Library --- (check book shelves organization)

 

Carole

Carole

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My 9th grader has volunteered at the Animal Shelter.

 

She is also involved in the summer community play. She accumulates a lot of hours for rehearsals and the actual play.

 

She is also involved in a non-profit Dance Company, which performs for free for local charities, schools, and events. All of those practice hours count , plus the actual performances.

 

Perhaps there is an activity that your son enjoys, which has a non-profit organization that could use his talents or passions?

 

I do know that church volunteerism does not count. (Which is too bad).

 

Kelley

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But first - who says church activity does not count? I mean, where is that established?

I've had two to graduate and am now working on my third one's resume with her.

Many of my kids' leadership and service activities have COME from church involvement and it certainly hasn't seemed to bother any of the colleges we've connected with yet. For example, this year, my daughter will co-lead an entire Christmas musical in our church. This is a big deal. This involves planning and management for not just younger children, but adults, as well.

It's all in how you present it and are ready to describe it should your child be interviewing somewhere.

 

My son was involved when we had VBS and did the skits all week one year. Yes, that was only one week out of a summer - but was it? No, it involved other weeks of planning. These are things that matter and show some fortitude. It's all in how you present and describe it.

Church is definitely part of "community" and reaches out to community. Being a choir member? ensemble? perhaps playing or singing in a worship team or band that leads your congregation or youth group on a regular basis? These are certainly service to your community. We've counted them different ways depending on the form we were filling out. If there was a section for leadership, many times it went under that, but sometimes there's not and you can include these types of things under "community service."

 

As for other areas you can serve: I agree, Food Bank - look up your local food bank to find out how you can serve (we are going once a week stocking shelves - there are usually needs w/helping w/food drives, and distribution days too, when needy folks actually come in for the food).

 

Does your community have a soup kitchen? We have one that serves up meals on a regular basis and is always looking for volunteers to be there for serving, clean-up, etc. Also, meals on wheels is ALWAYS needing volunteers where I live.

Does your library need any volunteers?

Habitat for Humanity - is there one of these in your area? We haven't gotten involved - though I wanted to - but many kids I've known of have helped with the various houses and counted that. (16 y.o. and up)

 

Is there tutoring of elementary aged children your child could do? Perhaps there are friends at church or a local Christian school that could use help in this area. Some schools offer after-school tutoring using older students to help younger ones.

 

We have also counted community theater involvement. Whether you're in a production as cast member (because in ours - you're doing this totally volunteer and it ends up costing you $$ - and you're helping produce something that benefits your community) or as backstage help. Possibly you could sign up to be a regular stage crew member. Our theater is always looking for folks for this.

 

Hope some of this helps!

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1--ANY non-profit counts, even churches (in my experience.)

2--My kids have done garden club, library (college & county), sailing club.

3--Check w/Boys & Girls clubs, Elder Care centers, hospitals, etc. I think of them as "try the job on" to help w/future career choices. :o)

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No church/synagogue/mosque projects will "count" ?? Hard to credit !

 

My 15-yo ds has community service projects required for his [secular private school] high school program. He worked through both his school and our parish, collecting books/toys/games to be donated to the Children's Hospital. It was a very successful project ! (One elderly woman at our church was so moved by my son's efforts, that she set to work and crocheted him a gorgeous afghan for his bed !)

 

P.S. That, by the way, is my suggestion for a service project. A woman who works as a nurse at the Children's Hospital here had mentioned that they always need items to keep the "hospital-bound" children entertained/occupied.

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Also, don't forget our service members - there are many things that you could have him do - whether it is mowing the lawn for a disabled veteran, serving at the VA in some capacity (my mom is an NP at the VA and they do have kids who work the summer volunteering doing a variety of things - some office related and some patient related). My dh is a member of the VFW and my son attends and helps at fund raisers, delivering meals, and just visiting with wounded veterans whose families are far away. He also serves each year for a week during Police Week (dad is a PO) doing all kinds of various jobs. There could be opportunities at a local Fire House. I believe the church holds many opportunities, too. My son was a crew leader and helped teach VBS for 2 weeks this summer, worked as the grip during the annual Christmas play, attends a mission each summer serving a population who need so much more than he can give.

 

Just a few more ideas to add to the list.

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I agree wholeheartedly, :iagree: that church service is vital!!! My daughter has also volunteered as a teacher's aid in Sunday School for young children.

 

But, according to our volunteer center, which records hours for high schoolers, church volunteerism doesn't count.

 

My daughter will continue to serve in the church in some capacity, but I cannot count it as service hours.

 

I guess, if one is truly giving something to God, one shouldn't expect any credit in return. God will bestow the blessing in His own terms when one does something for Him.

 

Kelley

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But, according to our volunteer center, which records hours for high schoolers, church volunteerism doesn't count.

 

 

Kelley

 

What's a volunteer center & who are they reporting to?

 

We document volunteer hours for the FL Bright Futures Scholarship & I haven't seen any restrictions on what non-profit you worked through to get your hours. They just want a letter stating the hours worked, dates & a signature.

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But, according to our volunteer center, which records hours for high schoolers, church volunteerism doesn't count.
Why do you need a volunteer center to record hours? Why do they not count service done through a church for volunteer hours? If this volunteer center is anything like others I've experienced, I wouldn't in any way feel limited by their policies, which can be pretty biased and arbitrary.
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You might contact local agencies, such as your city's offices, park service, etc. They often have projects, large and small, that need to be done at parks, hiking trails, etc. You could do things like trimming brush along a trail, refinishing a picnic table or bench at a park, etc.

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