Generally speaking, children under the age of 14 are a greatly underutilized volunteer resource. There is so much that can be gained from youth taking an active role in helping our community, which is why our private school finds every opportunity to expose our students to volunteer opportunities.

Here are just a few of the ways that volunteering can positively impact our youth:

• By volunteering at least one hour each week, youth are 50 percent less likely to consume alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or become pregnant.
• Youth that volunteer are more likely to do well in school and graduate.
• Youth that take on volunteer roles learn valuable life lessons such as how to respect others, how to work with different types of people, and leadership skills.

There’s no question that there is a direct link between community service and academic gain for our youth. It provides students with the ideal opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real human needs. Working as a volunteer can also help students to develop better problem solving skills and gain a sense of self-accomplishment.

In some scenarios, volunteering at a young age could lead to academic scholarships. When students volunteer, they’ll have more opportunities to build their networks and make valuable connections that can result in solid references who will write letters of recommendation in the future.

While our private school encourages our students to volunteer in our community, these efforts can be especially effective if parents do the same. Here are several ways that your child can volunteer his or her time in Volusia County:

Meal M.A.N.I.A

Youth can volunteer for a fast-paced 2-hour shift where meals are packed up for people in need. 50 percent of the meals will be given to local families while the others will be sent to the U.S. Disaster Response and overseas.

The Boys and Girls Club of Volusia/Flagler Counties

There are a number of great opportunities for youth to volunteer at the local Boys and Girls Club, including tutoring younger youth, organizing a community book drive to benefit the center, and organizing a school supply drive to help students in need get ready for the upcoming school year.

Adopt a Road in Volusia County

A tremendous amount of trash is littered along the roads throughout Volusia County each day. To keep our community a beautiful place to live, your family could adopt a local road to be responsible for trash removal.

Instilling in our children the importance of community involvement is one of the most valuable lessons that they can learn. Please feel free to contact our private school to learn about additional local volunteer opportunities.

Our mission is to challenge each student in a supportive environment that promotes academic excellence, sound moral values, and high self-esteem within a framework of God’s love.