Putney runs great trips. All of you people who suggest volunteering at home answer this: why is it any different? It's still the same wealthy kid who travels to a different part of the city or country to get his/her hours in, no difference. I agree that all of these volunteer trips don't mean much for college apps, but they do offer something for the kid doing them and that is not a terrible thing.

Anonymous wrote:Ivy interviewer here. Foreign volunteer trips just signal wealthy parents.
We are most impressed with projects that kids organize themselves, wherever they may take place.


I'm also an economist. Developing countries don't need more unskilled labor. However, if the wealthy kids bring construction supplies with them, those are needed.

Foreign volunteer trips signal wealthy parents? Well, then you need to climb down from your ivy tower. I've been chaperoning foreign volunteer trips for years. Your head will spin at the number of students from middle class families who go on those trips because 1) their parents are willing to sacrifice to give their kids exposure and 2) payment plans that allow those families to pay in installments.

And who cares why the kid is going? At 17 we can't expect him to be completely selfless. At that age he needs the trip so he can grow up, become familiar with the world, aware of other cultures, and if he happens to grow an altruistic bone because of it, good for us all! If not, you know what that makes him? A TEENAGER!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 17 yo son's Community Service Trip to Africa was Cancelled. . He is looking for a back up trip, but I need to make sure that it is an organized safe trip with a very reputable outfit. Any ideas?

The Quakers have several trips this summer where you can obtain community service credits. You should be able to find something here.

http://williampennhouse.org/programs

PP again. Your son might like the Pine Ridge Reservation Workcamp. It's only two weeks but you can get 60-80 hours community service, and the experience is invaluable.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Posted in this group because of his age. He's a great kid and simply was disappointed that his trip was cancelled. He was interested in seeing more of the world, working on his French, and having something interesting to do that would benefit others. As for college apps, he has been volunteering a week of his summer every year since sixth grade, so volunteering in his community and country is nothing new for him. It was a simple question requesting trip and group info and not a request for attacks. If you have nothing helpful or productive to say, just hush. I'm out of this crazy pit so post all the nonsense you like. You'll be speaking to yourself.

It is a crazy pit, OP, but in the tar pits you can occasionally find something productive.

http://williampennhouse.org/programs

Anonymous wrote:My 17 yo son's Community Service Trip to Africa was Cancelled. . He is looking for a back up trip, but I need to make sure that it is an organized safe trip with a very reputable outfit. Any ideas?

The Quakers have several trips this summer where you can obtain community service credits. You should be able to find something here.

http://williampennhouse.org/programs

A lot of his fellow men live East of the River and could use some help. How about a trip over there?
These "community service" trips abroad are a joke. One neighbor sent his kid to S.E. Asia and the other neighbor's worked in a rec center. Guess which one got into the better colleges? The one who was involved in HER community.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Posted in this group because of his age. He's a great kid and simply was disappointed that his trip was cancelled. He was interested in seeing more of the world, working on his French, and having something interesting to do that would benefit others. As for college apps, he has been volunteering a week of his summer every year since sixth grade, so volunteering in his community and country is nothing new for him. It was a simple question requesting trip and group info and not a request for attacks. If you have nothing helpful or productive to say, just hush. I'm out of this crazy pit so post all the nonsense you like. You'll be speaking to yourself.

Then just send him to Africa, forget about the community service part. They have tons of tourist groups going to Africa. All my friends in the 80's went to Africa. Its not all that complicated.

OP here. Posted in this group because of his age. He's a great kid and simply was disappointed that his trip was cancelled. He was interested in seeing more of the world, working on his French, and having something interesting to do that would benefit others. As for college apps, he has been volunteering a week of his summer every year since sixth grade, so volunteering in his community and country is nothing new for him. It was a simple question requesting trip and group info and not a request for attacks. If you have nothing helpful or productive to say, just hush. I'm out of this crazy pit so post all the nonsense you like. You'll be speaking to yourself.

Ebola threat in Africa.

so why was it cancelled?

Anonymous wrote:My 17 yo son's Community Service Trip to Africa was Cancelled. . He is looking for a back up trip, but I need to make sure that it is an organized safe trip with a very reputable outfit. Any ideas?

What does this have to do with "college discussion?"

Anonymous wrote:The white tourist's burden: http://alj.am/1iCv4zS

that's pretty cynical, but some truth to it. Also, these don't really impress college admissions people - they know the score.

OP, my kids used Visions and Global Works several times and all of the trips went well.
There are a lot of service trip haters but I agree with PP, the right trip can be a great experience. There are so many groups offering trips, but contrary to what PPs states, the kids do a lot of volunteer work on some trips and the kids are welcomed. In fact, my DS said on one trip, the locals were rude to the group until they found out the group were volunteering and once known, the locals were very polite and thanked them. Also, some HS kids do want to volunteer. They don’t want a pure tourist trip like they have with their parents. I do think writing about the trips in college essays is a definite no. Everything you read or hear says don’t write about service trips and don’t write about someone who died. My kids did the trips solely for the experience and not thinking that the trips would help them into college. The trips are a great experience, they’re a maturing experience on so many levels, and I’m so glad my kids did several of them. There are a lot of bad travel groups so beware, but we’ve had good luck with Visions and Global Works. Good Luck.

It's not just these vanity trips abroad. I was at a charity event this weekend and saw a slew of Big 3 students standing around doing nothing and earning "community service" hours. Lame.

Anonymous wrote:Ignore the haters. Experiencing another culture, seeing another part of the world, and the hearing the perspective of people who have lived very different lives are all great experiences.

I hope you find something for him OP.

"Ignore the haters" but I haven't seen any on this thread. Just people trying to enlighten the OP about true volunteering and development. It's doing him/her a favor. OP, if your kid did some research on it himself, that'd be pretty awesome.