How does my teen find the right fit for community service?

In this article, you’ll find answers to questions like:

1. What are the criteria to graduate?
2. How to find a good match for my teen?
3. How to help my teen balance everything?

Does your teen view volunteer service merely as a requirement for graduation?

If so, you can explain why it’s important for high schoolers to give back to their community. It gives them valuable work experience, fosters gratitude and illustrates their personal interests. And if your child is headed to college after graduation, admissions officers often look at students’ activities outside of the classroom to get to know them beyond their transcript and essays.

1. WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA TO GRADUATE?

Parents can ask their child’s high school for the rules regarding community service hours. It is usually listed online and/or in the student handbook. In recent years, Palm Beach County public school students have been required to perform a minimum of 20 community service hours to graduate. But many scholarships for college require a minimum of 75 hours.

A 2022 change to the Florida Bright Futures scholarship allows students to qualify with volunteer hours or paid work hours.

Community service is defined as non-paid volunteer work with a nonprofit agency. If students lack transportation, their schools may offer volunteer opportunities on campus or through a club. Students may begin accumulating hours as early as the summer before ninth grade.

2. HOW TO FIND A GOOD MATCH FOR MY TEEN?

Finding a good match for your teen can be overwhelming with thousands of nonprofit organizations registered in Palm Beach County. So where to start? 

Organizations, such as United Way and VolunteerMatch, can help narrow your search. They gather information on volunteer opportunities throughout the county and provide details on the mission, audience and location.

“I always encourage young people to find something they are passionate about and to volunteer doing something in that field," says Nancy Stellway, executive director of Take Stock in Children. "That way, it will not feel like just another chore or obligation.”

3. HOW TO HELP MY TEEN BALANCE EVERYTHING?

Parents can help their teens develop time-management strategies, such as creating a schedule or identifying priorities using a matrix chart. This process can illuminate how much time they spend on unimportant things, such as scrolling through their phones or playing video games, which can free up time for community service.

SOURCES:

• Nancy Stellway, executive director, Take Stock in Children
• United Way of Palm Beach County
• School District of Palm Beach County
• Achieve Palm Beach County