Volunteering for Students: More Than Just a College Application Asset

Is Volunteering Important?

Absolutely! Some of the most meaningful lessons we’ve learned about volunteering were discovered by accident, which was the best part.

The Accidental Art of Volunteerism

So, what did we discover, you may ask? Probably more than I can cover but the first thing was when my kids were just 3 year-olds. The response they gained  from helping others made them innately happy. Not give them a lollipop happy, but true happiness and pride in themselves which was gifted to them by the response of people they were helping. Not only did they become happier, they became more confident. They were proud of who they were, how they spent their time, and how they were leaving their community  better than it was the day before. 

The Friendships 

The people we have met are invaluable. Our favorite connection being halfway across the globe in London. We can't remember how we first crossed paths, but they became our surrogate tour guides and introduced us to other amazing causes we became interested in across the pond. Later on, they visited us and helped launch a "Kindness Offensive" Club in our local schools. It was a first for them and a first for us and it bonded us in a unique and fun way. 

The Networks

One of the best byproducts of our volunteer work has been the incredible network of people we’ve come to know. We have met people from a myriad of backgrounds, careers, educational backgrounds, and everything in between. Whether it was locating contacts for various causes, gaining insight into colleges or career options, or simply knowing a local while traveling thanks to past collaborations, our web of friends and allies has grown wider and stronger.

The Experience

Though it started as a way for my kids and I to do something together, it led to experiences and memories that were unexpected. Over the past ten years we have been blessed to work with corporations, CEO's, celebrities, inspiring individuals with special needs, hospitals, the unhoused, and so many others.

We have witnessed:

• Parents crying tears of joy as their sick child smiled during a character visit

• Men and women start to successfully move from the  streets into safe housing and employment

• Gifted people share their passion about their cause, inspire others, and build nonprofits

• Clubs pay it forward across various cities and even countries

Volunteering is many things. In high school you constantly hear that it will help you “get into college" and why most people will volunteer at this age. I challenge you, however, to put that thought aside, find something you are passionate about, invest as much into it as you can without expectations and let that path guide you.  It will most certainly be the people and causes you set out to give back,  which will give you more in return than you ever anticipated.