Giving back can reap rewards

For many high school students coming to America, finding ways to participate and integrate into their community is a top priority. Students often join academic clubs, dance teams, sports teams, and more so that they can fit right in with their host families and peers. One great way for international students to bond with their community, that is sometimes overlooked, is volunteering!

Volunteer work allows students to prepare for the future, as well as give back to the communities  hosting them. Not only does volunteering boost social skills and awareness of social issues, high school students who volunteer often may have an advantage over their peers who have not volunteered when applying to colleges.

Here’s a list of reasons why you should be encouraging students to actively pursue volunteering once they arrive in their host communities:

1. It helps to build new skills: Most volunteering activities require some form of training for a new volunteer. Whether it’s learning how to track and manage receipt of donations during a food drive at the Salvation Army or mastering the art of the hammer and nail during a Habitat for Humanity event, students acquire skills that stick with them for life. These skills can translate into a better resume or even job opportunity later in life.
2. It helps students to stand out on their college applications:  Volunteering shows a student’s willingness to commit to their community and work diligently without monetary compensation. This is a trait that college reviewers often admire and want to include as part of their student body; academics and extracurricular activities are great, but a student’s character can also be a defining factor in whether or not a student gets chosen for acceptance.
3. It helps students bond with friends and family: Volunteering is a fun way to spend time outside of school related activities and connects a student to their new home. In American culture, we’re taught at a young age that giving back to one’s community is a shared responsibility for all. Volunteering with host family or friends builds quality relationships with another. New memories can be made and students can learn a lot about their new host dad or new 9th grade friend over the hours they spend together serving up a hot meal at a food cafeteria.

For your students coming to America, they have a lot on their minds when they first arrive. Meeting new friends, fitting in with their new family, and starting a whole new school is daunting. Volunteer work not only provides an outlet for students to connect to their new community but it also can be beneficial in the future in regards to college or career.

The best way to find out about volunteer opportunities is to tell your students to find their counselor at school or to ask their new host family member. These individuals are often aware of their community’s offerings and have probably been involved in volunteering in some way or another. A quick google search of the area’s non-profit organizations can also help students with finding volunteer opportunities. Students can find volunteer opportunities in all sorts of fields; from working with animals to building homes, the opportunities are endless!

​Giving back to a host community can seem like just another thing to add to a student’s already long list of tasks or activities, but it can be one of the most rewarding and create special memories and opportunities for students long after they’ve left their American families and home.