There is a tremendous focus right now on seniors applying to college. It’s a stressful and exciting time as seniors make their decisions on where to apply and how they are going to present themselves. However, what about 9th and 10th graders? This blog post is going to give you a useful step on the Savvy High School Students Path to College – Mindful Volunteering.
I know you are thinking – it is way too early to think about this for 9th and 10th graders. WRONG! However, it doesn’t need to be stressful. In many ways, 9th and 10th grades are the most fun time on the Savvy High School Students Steps on the Path to College because as it is about self-exploration. It is a time to try new things and start to focus on what your student really enjoys doing.
First, consider your student’s interests. Do they like sports? Do they like Art? Music? Writing? Whatever their interest is this is a great time to explore it and find ways to apply those interests. Next, take the time to think about how to use those interests and develop them.
Savvy High School Students Path to College – Mindful Volunteering. I know you know about volunteering, but the Savvy High School Students Path to College – Mindful Volunteering is about quality, not quantity. It is about finding your student’s interest and finding a way to coincide that interest with a volunteer activity.
I have a cousin who loves animals, particularly dogs. She spent some of her summertime working at a local doggy daycare. Other ways students can volunteer is at the animal shelter, rescue organizations, or help training therapy animals.
Love of animals = spend time with animals
When I was in high school, I loved music. I could play guitar and sing, but I wasn’t very good at reading music. I had spent many summers at camp and I knew many camp songs on the guitar. I talked to my church and asked if I could go to the Sunday school classes and play. They said yes! I met with the teachers and arranged the time I would come to each class and teach the kids a song each week. I went to three different classes each week. By the end of the school year, they knew lots of songs and we could spend time singing a few of them each class. I got a chance to do something I loved doing – singing and playing guitar as well as learned how to work with kids and manage a classroom (a skill I use both with adults when presenting and with kids when I volunteer at my kids’ school). These are just two examples of Savvy High School Students Path to College – Mindful Volunteering. Taking an interest and, hopefully, you can see where I am going – identify the interest and find opportunities to use and develop skills around that interest.
Love of music = teach music to Sunday school class
There are so many ways for your student to use their interests with Savvy High School Students Path to College – Mindful Volunteering. There are organizations that will help you find ways to put your passions to work such as http://www.volunteermatch.org/. You can also talk to your church or community center. You might try the local chamber of commerce too. If readily available activities don’t suit your needs create some of your own. While it is great to volunteer for non-profit organizations, your interests may be toward something that is not a non-profit (which is also ok). The essential part of this is to find ways to explore your student’s interest during 9th and 10th grade. Then in 11th grade, they are ready to hone their focus and use their skills learned by volunteering to crystalize their interests and find ways to add leadership to their interests.