Miss Marple Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 If you were looking at a scholarship sheet for a college and it listed freshmen scholarships based on "activity in 2 or 3 organizations" what would you interpret those organizations to be? It would seem obvious that an incoming freshman cannot be involved in the university organizations yet so there must be other organizations available to high schoolers. And as homeschool high schoolers those organizations might be harder to find. Can you share with us (me) what organizations are out there for a homeschooler to be involved in? At this point we have Boy Scouts and church - but are those the type they are looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I have no idea what they are looking for, but I'd interpret this to be any organization in which a student can be involved. My DD, for example, is very active in the local equestrian organization. She has designed their website, acts as a webmaster for this and for a show organized by this organization, helps out with events. Other things that come to my mind that would be accessible for homeschoolers: Sierra Club, Stream Team (clean up rivers). 4-H, FFA A community charitable organization that organizes food drives and runs a thrift store a Sister City organization that organizes exchange between home town and a foreign sister city an Embassador of Music program a Youth Sports organization where the student is coaching a kids' team a program that provides teen mentors to at risk children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 If you were looking at a scholarship sheet for a college and it listed freshmen scholarships based on "activity in 2 or 3 organizations" what would you interpret those organizations to be? It would seem obvious that an incoming freshman cannot be involved in the university organizations yet so there must be other organizations available to high schoolers. And as homeschool high schoolers those organizations might be harder to find. Can you share with us (me) what organizations are out there for a homeschooler to be involved in? At this point we have Boy Scouts and church - but are those the type they are looking for? Could be sports if the student had a leadership role. For example, our summer league team has unpaid teen coach interns as well as paid assistant coaches. Some other things my kids do: volunteer costumed interpreter at a historic site, member of Friends of the Library group with quarterly volunteering for the used book sales, support staff at Christian summer family camp, scouts (not only troop but also district Order of the Arrow) including lots of service projects. I've also known kids who were active in a National Home school Honor Society chapter. Reaching back a level, my dh and brothers were volunteer firefighter, member of local historical society, volunteer at local history museum, member of local astronomy club. Many local organizations are thrilled with the idea of youth members; it gives the organization a chance to mentor new people into their passion and secures the future of the organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen in VA Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I would list any INTERESTING EC's your kid is involved in, with peference for ones where he had a leadership role. Students who are involved in their communities are more likely to help make their college campus an interesting place! Colleges often have a "brag sheet" where they list the achievements of the incoming class, and weird/unusual EC's are often listed on this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I have no idea what they are looking for, but I'd interpret this to be any organization in which a student can be involved. I assumed the same thing, that there are no specific organizations or types of organizations, but that the scholarship committee is looking for significant involvement in two or three meaningful activities. My daughter's extracurricular involvement included: - two choirs, plus one year of show choir - drama classes/volunteering at a local theatre - church youth group (founding member, leadership) - editing the monthly newsletter for our homeschool group - lots of community theatre, done mostly with the same two groups - the local anthropological society - piano and guitar lessons In her case, if I were looking to highlight the most "meaningful" of those activities, I would probably have focused on theatre (lumping together the drama classes/volunteering and the community groups), youth group (because of the leadership aspect) and the anthropological society (because it's interesting and different and sets her apart from the pack). My son's activities, so far, include: - dance lessons, master classes and additional study, summer dance program(s), dance competitions - assistant teaching in two dance classes - youth theatre, both participating in productions and volunteering as a counselor for summer day camps - community theatre - volunteering at the local science museum - choir (including leadership) - church youth group Dance is clearly the most siginficant and interesting of his activities. It's where he puts the majority of his time and effort. I'd also highlight his choir involvement, both because he has a leadership role there and because the choir has been especially active (performing and touring) during his tenure there. The third in his case could be either the science museum, because he's logged a lot of hours and been selected for a special team, or the youth theatre, again because of the sheer number of hours he's invested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I agree with the others - any organization works, so yes, boy scouts and church youth groups both work. My homeschooled guys had church youth group, a parachurch community group, chess club (at school), and did real work for hubby (a civil engineer). They also each did a significant service project. Youngest (in ps) has FBLA, NHS, an Improv group, and the other groups my older two had. He will not have the service project. Colleges do want active students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 As always, if in doubt, call and speak to someone directly to find out exactly what the specific school means or wants... Agreeing with previous posters: there are LOTS of options homeschoolers can join! Your church and Boy Scouts are great. See if you can add 1 or 2 other activities that are completely different to show wide interests. Ideas: - volunteer work with a community organization (animal shelter, public library, food pantry, Red Cross, nursing home, City clean up the Park program...) - sports/physical activity (public school team, soccer or other club team, swim team, Ultimate Frisbee league, Presidential Fitness Challenge -- even something like regular involvement in a local studio for martial arts, dance, gymnastics, fencing...) - community youth performance groups (youth theater, junior orchestra, community choir -- even if the student formed his/her own band) - leadership group (honors society, homeschool student council, the Congressional Award for Youth...) - academic group (public school or regional Robotics club, community youth book club, National Science Bowl -- even regional science fair participation) - high school after-school club (chess, DECA, Junior Achievement, science / engineering club, electronics, ...) - national organization (4-H, YMCA program, scouting, speech/debate, Youth & Government, Junior State of America, Model United Nations, Mock Trial...) - military cadet group (Civil Air Patrol, Sea Cadets, Junior ROTC...) - special interest (historical recreation, music festival, model railroad, ham radio...) For lots more ideas for extracurriculars and groups to be involved with, this past thread had great ideas: What extracurriculars for the high school years? Good luck on the scholarships! Warmest regards, Lori D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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