Derek Zoolander said, “The other day, I was thinking about volunteering to help teach underprivileged children to learn how to read. And just thinking about it was the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had.”
Life is getting more busy for everyone. With commitments to school, work and a small social life, some important and worthwhile tasks can easily be pushed aside. In many cases, volunteering is the last thing on the minds of all the busy people in our increasingly laborious world.
Luckily for those of us on campus, there are organizations that promote volunteer work. From the Bennion Community Service Center to Greek Row, there are plenty of ways to get involved in volunteering.
Panhellenic President Katie Gardner said, “One of the favorite events during Greek Week is when all the fraternities and sororities team up to take children from the Neighborhood House to the zoo. It is really touching to see how something so small can make such a big difference in their lives.”
She also added that everyone loves playing with the kids. It is through participating in events like these that one can see how rewarding and fun volunteering can be.
I have been lucky to participate in a few volunteer activities each year on my own as well. I was a Child Life volunteer at Primary Children’s Medical Center during my freshman year, a reading tutor for my sophomore and junior years and this year I am a second-grade teacher. I have spent most of my time as a volunteer working with children. It has been really enjoyable.
I would urge everyone to give a little of your time, not only to children, but to helping children get involved as volunteers as well. It is not news that the earlier one gets involved in any kind of activity (good or bad), the more likely they are to continue that activity throughout his or her entire life.
For one of my classes, I am required to do a service learning project with all 26 of my second-grade students. The National Youth Leadership Counsel, which I have had the pleasure to be associated with since my junior year of high school, defines service learning as “a teaching method that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities.” The students come up with their own ideas to help their school or community, create a plan and follow through with that plan. With all the volunteer opportunities I have had, this one is the most exciting. Not only is it a volunteer opportunity for me and my students, but also a chance to show the students that they can make a difference at any age.
It does not matter if you can make a small time commitment. Something is always better than nothing when it comes to volunteering. It would be fantastic if we could all take a moment out of our busy days to help children start their own volunteer efforts.
Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be as lucky as our good friend Derek Zoolander.