KO is giving back
Helping out in the community is such a great feeling, and it can be beneficial to everyone. Here at Keystone Oaks, students are always encouraged to help and there are many opportunities to do so.
The woman in charge of it all, Mrs. Smith, describes community service as “The volunteering of your time and efforts without expectations of payment which helps to improve the community.”
To graduate as of the 2016-2017 school year, students need at least 120 hours of community service, and there are many ways to earn those hours.
Some popular ways to earn community service hours is “Being a member of a club. Students that participate in the activities that the club holds, earns you even more hours,” Smith said.
For many years, students that are members of clubs automatically earns 10 community service hours. That rule may be changing in the next year. If students help and are actively involved in their club, they could earn more hours. With over 30 clubs in the school, there are tons of choices.
Other ways to get community service is helping out in the neighborhood. Students interested in finding activities to do can go to the guidance office and get the community service student handbook that they offer. In the back of it there are list of activities in all three boroughs that need volunteers. Teachers around the school offer community service hours for helping them as well.
“Google it,” Smith said. “Honestly, if you google community service opportunities in pittsburgh, websites will come up and give you links to events and they are updated all the time.”
Finding somewhere to volunteer isn’t that hard.
“They are always looking for people to volunteer,” Smith added.
After students volunteer their time and get hours, they are to turn in their paperwork to Ms. Smith. She has a collection of every student’s hours.
Freshman student Autumn Chomas talked about how she earns her community service hours.
“I volunteer at the Castle Shannon fair during the summer.”
She also explained that “Volunteering makes me feel really good. It’s nice knowing that i’ve contributed in helping others, even if it’s something small.”
By volunteering, it can make students feel really good by giving back.
Another freshman, Pio Dipofi, said, “I get my community service hours by being in clubs and by volunteering at the old folks home every once in awhile.”
Chayse Baang, a junior, volunteers her time at the Castle Shannon Library, reading to the smaller children.
“It’s a lot of fun, and it makes the kids happy, which makes me happy.”
With all the community service hours students earn, colleges are able to see that. It can give students better chances of getting into school. It can help students prepare for the future in getting jobs, as well. The more people that volunteer, the more the community is saving in money, and can be used to help those in need and make the community a better place to live.
Posted: Friday, March 3, 2017