BrewsterConnections - Brewster Academy

why they volunteer and to make it as easy as possible
for them to get involved. I hope this made a
lasting impression on my peers.
Gap Year with AmeriCorps
After I graduated from Brewster, I deferred college
for a year and became a City Year AmeriCorps
member. I worked in Philadelphia teaching sixth,
seventh, and eighth grade students with emotional
support needs. AmeriCorps members are required
to participate in numerous community service
opportunities as well as become engaged citizens
(i.e., obtain a public library card, attend town hall
meetings). I think that my experience during City
Year solidified the relationship between volunteering
and citizenship and what it means to actually be
an engaged citizen. Engaged citizens are no longer
outsiders or exempt from what is happening around
them; they are not only part of the environment
but they are part of the change and the solution to
problems around them. Volunteering is a handson
approach to understand the world and your
relationship to it. If it does nothing else (not even
help) it does show the individual a glimmer of the
impact they can have and the joy they can bring. In
its purest form volunteering is probably one of the
few true win-win situations.
Volunteering Takes Many Forms
Upon beginning college at Lehigh University, the
way in which I volunteered changed. It was no
longer nursing homes and weekly tutoring. Instead,
I became involved in many organizations supporting
endeavors I cared about. As you volunteer more, you
begin to understand where you fit and what your
skill sets are. Volunteering is a great way to soul
search. I began looking at how I could assist large
institutions and ideological frameworks, how I could
make a large-scale impact, and how I could affect
decision making as a volunteer.
Volunteering is not just about finding a cause
to contribute your time; it also is about sharing
your skills and adding value to an organization or
institution simply because you care. At Lehigh I
participated in the Association of Student Alumni,
working to bring alumni back to campus. I also sat
on the student judicial board wanting to contribute
my student perspective and insight to the board. I
was president of our campus step team, which was
the first year my school had a multi-cultural step
team, and we were asked to perform at various
school events to exemplify diversity and camaraderie.
I became the first and only student to sit on
the University’s summer reading committee with
all the school deans. I also created a multi-cultural
recruitment program for which my alma mater used
a template for a new position they created.
Should students be required to
volunteer
Yes, the young should be required to volunteer and
not just their time but also their efforts in finding
solutions to problems. The beautiful thing about
students is that they still have an imagination
and can think of awesome ways to do things that
reinvigorate adults. Though volunteering should
be something that one chooses to do, I liken it to
making children eat their vegetables; they may not
want to but it’s a good thing. And, in a sense, even
if students are reluctant about volunteering, often
once they get involved most enjoy it and have a
little fun.
Volunteering should be something a young person
is required to do until they leave college; it must
become a habit. If an individual is not forced to see
hardship then he or she is not likely to be grateful
(unless they are extremely thoughtful) but most
need one to understand the other, as most people
see things and understanding things in dichotomies
and simply cannot assess something without being
able to assess the absence of that thing. Either way,
it is important for all humans to feel heartbreak for
another person who is unlike them for one reason or
another, from that experience they realize that our
humanness is what connects us to each other and
are able to feel for them and experience empathy.
Why do you volunteer
I volunteer foremost because I believe it is a civic
duty. Second, it is a way to share my God-given
talents with the world, and third because it makes
me feel good (and it helps the person on the other
end). I give my time (and not money) because that
is the way in which I believe I can have the most
impact. Currently, I sit on a lot of organizations’
boards, helping them grow and become sustainable
entities. I also help with event planning and
community building.
What advice do you have for the
many folks who have busy lives
I think like everything else, if you want something to
get done you have to make it a priority. Choose one
to three events or organizations to be involved with
and help where you can. Many boards, organizations,
and steering groups have committees where people
can volunteer at a less formal and time-consuming
level. For those who want to work directly with
individuals contact a few organizations that serve
children or the elderly and learn what some of
the specific needs are. Perhaps they need a small
donation basket for school supplies or volunteers to
hand out water for a cancer walk.
There are a million ways to get involved. The first
step is acknowledging your interest to become a
volunteer. Then consider what you like and find an
organization that supports this interest. Next, look
at your schedule to figure out when and where you
can help. Don’t worry if what you like is obscure,
there is always someone who is doing it – and if
there is not, then it is a great place for you to build
something new.
What are your thoughts on the Peace
Corps or AmeriCorps as possible
alternatives to military service, and
do you think individuals should be
encouraged to volunteer for a year
between high school and college
I believe volunteering is great whatever the time. I
volunteered between high school and college and it
was a great time for reflective pause before I started
my next journey in life. Although volunteering during
this time is not for everyone, it can be helpful in
framing and positioning their college experience.
However, volunteering in any capacity, especially for
a year will definitely increase a person’s level of civic
engagement and this is always a good thing.
And, yes, I support the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps
as alternatives to military service.
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