Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated HS in the 90s and had close to 250 hours of community service. I also worked and babysat and was fairly active in clubs and activities.

My sophomore has close to 200 hours, has an activity that consumes roughly 18-20hrs/week of his time. He also works one night per week.

There’s time, if you make it.

Not for all kids. Some kids have APs (and it takes longer to keep grades up and no they should not have to give that up just to volunteer). Some kids are high performing athletes that travel around for tournaments, etc. Some have to work jobs beyond the occasional day or two here and there.

My kid falls into at least two of these and it makes it extremely difficult to get service hours. And when she does -and she does- it feels more like a chore than it should feel (and I say that as someone who volunteers a lot on my own).

That's great your kid has so much time and is so organized to make it work. This is just not simply the case for them all.

+1 man when I said this in a thread months ago I was eviscerated. So glad to see many agree with me actually.

Anonymous wrote:I graduated HS in the 90s and had close to 250 hours of community service. I also worked and babysat and was fairly active in clubs and activities.

My sophomore has close to 200 hours, has an activity that consumes roughly 18-20hrs/week of his time. He also works one night per week.

There’s time, if you make it.

Not for all kids. Some kids have APs (and it takes longer to keep grades up and no they should not have to give that up just to volunteer). Some kids are high performing athletes that travel around for tournaments, etc. Some have to work jobs beyond the occasional day or two here and there.

My kid falls into at least two of these and it makes it extremely difficult to get service hours. And when she does -and she does- it feels more like a chore than it should feel (and I say that as someone who volunteers a lot on my own).

That's great your kid has so much time and is so organized to make it work. This is just not simply the case for them all.

I don't think service hours should be required, but I do think kids who do them should get recognition.

This isn't something for the school to police. If you want your kid to do community service, sign them up. That's a parenting thing, not a school thing.

It is nice idea, but poor execution.

Anonymous wrote:The responses to this thread blow my mind. Of course the kids should volunteer. It makes them invested in the community and they have to do something to help someone else. I do agree there should be some things around school (picking up trash, reshelving library books) that can be done during lunch or study hall.

Because they are STUDYING during study hall. And feeding their bodies during lunch. WTAF?

Anonymous wrote:This chain makes me so sad.

“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” Marian Wright Edelman

To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48).

We should be held responsible for what we have. If we have been blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we benefit others.

Look, I hear you. But there are already enough expectations on these kids. If you want to prioritize this, and that would be a good thing, then lay off the requirement for a billion APs (all As, TYVM), the checklist of activities, required electives, etc. just to be CONSIDERED for a top college. There is simply not enough time in the day/week to require this.

Anonymous wrote:It’s not required in FCPS

Right, unless you're in a special program or something like NHS, it's not "required."

Please get rid of them.
At my child’s school, the well connected moms work hard to find their kids the best opportunities and the kids begrudgingly go, and often goof off while they’re supposed to be helping with whatever. My kid’s friends have to work and watch their siblings outside of school, so there really isn’t any time for volunteering.

Shouldn’t this been in General Education?

I agree that community services important. I also agree that forcing kids doesn't really teach them. I also agree that this is a system for a two-parent household who can coordinate the service and drive there and back, or otherwise provide transportation. It's a good question with a lot to consider. I do like organizations such as scouts where community service is built in. It seems disingenuous to not talk about it and then all of a sudden for students to do it. I also agree that many students don't do anything, not all but many, and just have someone sign off. This is very inequitable for people who find their own community service to do and get all the hours.

I graduated HS in the 90s and had close to 250 hours of community service. I also worked and babysat and was fairly active in clubs and activities.

My sophomore has close to 200 hours, has an activity that consumes roughly 18-20hrs/week of his time. He also works one night per week.

There’s time, if you make it.

Anonymous wrote:Please do it's stupid

+1000

Anonymous wrote:Teacher of seniors.

Some of my students are working 40 hours a week on top of school to stash money away to afford college or to help pay rent. They leave school at 3 and work a 6 hour shift after school. Weekends are for work too. When are they supposed to do community service?

I am ALL for encouraging kids to give back in ways they can, but sometimes that looks like going to chick fil a after school and giving your paycheck to your parents.

When can they start completing their service hours? They should allow them to start before senior year.

Please do it's stupid