Worried about college? Asking yourself what you should do to impress schools? We got you. Students of Service (S.O.S) isn’t like all the other clubs. It’s a place where we come together to help our community and be the change we want to see in it. We take our learning and put it in action. Our students start discovering the importance of service through this club.
Studies show that admissions officers look for students who do community service because it is more likely that they will share the school’s values and therefore help the school’s mission move forward. Though everyone knows that overall the most important thing to colleges is your grades, it sometimes isn’t enough. However, don’t just do it as a checkmark to get off your high school list, because these opportunities can help you discover your life’s passions. Through this club, you show the world who you are. Someone with compassion, depth, empathy, and understanding.
So what events can I engage in? This month, our events calendar includes the Blue Devils pantry volunteering, Bernie’s Book Bank, Lindenhurst Park outings, etc.
The Warren Township Food Pantry was made to help people going through a tough time. Including people with disabilities, or people who are unemployed/unable to find a job, people with child support,and more. You might think it’s just giving out food, but there’s more to it than that. When you give them food, you’re also giving them hope one meal at a time.
Next, is Bernie’s Book Bank, a place filled with books. For the bookworm’s out there, this is like bookworm heaven. The books are for kids to read, and we classify them into separate categories. It’s interesting to see how many things you can find in those books. It’s a simple task we do, but it’s a fun experience with others.
Finally, the Lindenhurst Park events usually take place on Fridays and Saturdays. I love hearing their super cute and creative ideas to entertain the kids. Last year, they had an event called Gingerbread Night, which sounded like it could be loads and loads of fun to participate in. This year, they’re starting us off with a Daddy-daughter dance theme called A Night in Barbieland on February 7th and the other February event is for the 20th it’s called Sweetheart Fun Night!
One of our fun events from last year called the Turkey Trot made me grateful for my community. Though I started to get tired as time went on, every short thanks helped me regain strength. I came to realize we’re lucky to live in such a well structured community in which it feels nice to be recognized for all you do and that we should recognize our community for all they do for us too.
At the Almond Campus, students have the privilege to go to Feed My Starving Children, which O’plaine students unfortunately can’t have just yet, because of the age regulations. However, I have been there before, and it’s a beautiful feeling to know that you’re impacting people not just from your community, but from all over the world, packaging food and love into every meal. At the end, when the numbers are shown, it is a wonderful moment to see how many kids you were able to impact and make a better day for. I can’t wait to go next year.
To summarize, I won’t lie to you. Yes, there is a level of responsibility and participation you must acquire. But the truth is that it’s more what comes back to you than the work you put in. The lessons that come from service are lessons you’ll never fully understand from a textbook or in a classroom. It even puts our school motto in play. By teaching respect for others, resilience in times of hardship, and engagement to be a little light to illuminate the world. If you have any questions on how to join or any other concerns , please let Mrs. Juergesen or any of the officers know.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media
@sos.oplaine.25
@sos.warren
Want to know more about what you can do to make an impact? Click on this link to find out how you can make a difference in others and in you.
https://www.ivywise.com/blog/does-community-service-matter-in-the-college-admissions-process/