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Teens Give Back Through Community Service

By Meghan Vivo

Community service may rank last on your teen’s list of favorite things to do, after talking to friends, going to the mall, playing video games – maybe even after doing homework. But introducing the joy of giving at a young age may be one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.

By giving back to others, young people feel a sense of belonging in the world, and their lives are filled with purpose and meaning. That’s why various programs for troubled teens, such as wilderness programs, therapeutic boarding schools, and residential treatment centers, make community service a central part of the process of emotional growth and behavioral change.
 
One School’s Commitment to Service
 
At Oakley School, a coed college preparatory therapeutic boarding school for teens ages 14 to 19, community service is a hallmark of the therapeutic curriculum. The school boasts over a decade of service to the neighboring community and national and international organizations in need. Each year, students participate in any number of worthwhile causes, including:
 
  • Volunteering at non-profit shelters for victims of domestic violence
  • Assisting the elderly and individuals with disabilities to maintain independent and healthy lifestyles through assistance with food deliveries and landscape maintenance
  • Organizing and delivering gifts and basic necessities for families in need through the holidays and winter months
  • Sorting recyclables and helping with the organization of a community recycle center
  • Participating in campground restoration projects in the Moab Valley
  • Volunteering in river clean-up
  • Assisting staff with the daily cleaning and socializing of animals at a local animal sanctuary
  • Building and restoring local trails on public and private lands
Most recently, Oakley studentsparticipated in their annual “Empty Bowls” fundraiser, a project that helps provide support for food banks and soup kitchens that fight hunger. Over a period of 10 weeks, ceramics arts students designed and created a record 360 ceramic bowls, hosted a dinner fundraiser, and raised over $1,000. These funds went to two charitable organizations: one that provides hot, healthy meals to low-income youth and another whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance and sustainability.
 
Each year, the Empty Bowls fundraiser falls right around the holidays. The hope of the Oakley staff is that each beautifully hand-crafted bowl will remind the students that there is always an empty bowl somewhere in the world and each of us are able to make a difference in our own way.
 
“We want our students to remember the true spirit of the holiday season,” says Bethany Elson, who organizes the Oakley School’s experiential education outings and outreach. “By giving back, we shift the focus from ‘what will I receive’ to ‘what do I have to give.’ This fundraiser is a great way to remember what’s important in life – family, friends, health, never-ending learning and growth, and giving.”
 
This was Oakley’s most successful year to date. “We measure success not by the money earned, but by the interaction and investment of our students,” notes Elson. “When these teens realize they can reach someone with their art, whether through artistic expression or raising donations for those in need, we begin to chip away at the negative behaviors that prevented them from becoming who they want to be.”
 
Building Character and Self-Esteem
 
According to Elson, service projects help struggling teens develop a strong sense of self-worth and personal responsibility. “At Oakley we believe service is the purest way to lead a purpose-driven life,” she says. “Those who serve don’t doubt their place in the world.”
 
Research confirms the advantages of volunteerism. A study by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) found that community service empowers teens to graduate from college and make a difference in their communities, and encourages them to become politically and socially engaged.
 
“This study highlights service as one of our most effective and positive interventions in a young person’s life. For youth at risk of hopelessness and despair, service builds social networks, trust, confidence, skills, initiative and lots of other tools that can help them succeed in life,” said CNCS CEO David Eisner.
 
Statistics show that teens experience real benefits from giving back. Overall, teens commit more than double the community service hours of adults, with more than 15.5 million teenagers (55%) volunteering in 2004, contributing more than 1.3 billion hours of service. And the rate of volunteering among teenagers is on the rise, in part because more schools are recognizing and arranging for student participation in community service.
 
A Positive Impact
 
Once students get a taste of how good it feels to make a difference, many come up with their own ideas of organizations or groups in need, and will head up additional volunteer efforts at Oakley, says Elson. Even the most reluctant students end up getting involved again and again, seeking that sense of purpose and meaning that is often absent in today’s youth culture.
 
Whether they are assisting with the annual Special Olympics in Park City, Utah, planting flowers for an elderly neighbor, helping with restoration on a Navajo reservation, or tutoring a fellow student on a trigonometry concept, Oakley students realize that their thoughts and actions truly impact others. And only they can choose whether that impact is a positive or negative one.
 
“We want our students to leave Oakley knowing that they can make a difference in their community and all over the world by using their talents and interests, whatever they may be,” explains Elson. “Whether that interest is in art and creativity, working with animals or the elderly, or improving the environment, we encourage students to get involved in all of our service activities until they discover what calls them.”
 
Compassion and Personal Growth
 
The students at Oakley do 20,000 collective hours of community service a year, divided proportionately between environmental, humanitarian, and animal service efforts.
 
“Giving back to others – not only people but also animals and the environment – shows struggling teens that kindness breeds a better world for all of us,” says Elson. “We believe that teaching compassion for all living things is important, especially for teenagers trying to figure out how to share their gifts and leave a positive mark on the world.”
 
In addition to the personal growth that results from a commitment to service, teens who volunteer are able to bolster their college applications, gain work experience, satisfy court-ordered community service requirements if applicable, and show their loved ones their commitment to change. Many college officials are looking not only for the best and the brightest academically but for hard-working students who are committed to making the world a better place.
 
A New Generation of Activists
 
Whether or not your child’s school facilitates volunteerism and community service, there are hundreds of volunteer opportunities out there – and it’s never too early to instill a sense of community responsibility and involvement. There is an ever-growing need for volunteers in church groups, community organizations, and government programs that will utilize your child’s talents and interests. Take a look around your community for new opportunities to motivate and challenge your teen.
 
“There is so much need in the world, and so many programs we’d love to get involved with – choosing where to apply our time and resources can be daunting,” says Elson. “But we follow the passions and interests of our students, knowing that if everyone does a little bit, together we truly do make a difference.”