Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life. I remember going to the homeless shelter my aunt worked at to serve dinner to homeless families and tagging along with my Grandpa when we had days off of school to put together boxes of food at the Food Pantry. In high school I participated in Spring Break service trips: one was in my hometown where a group of us kids stayed downtown at a church hall for a week and volunteered at nursing homes, homeless shelters and other organizations that focus on serving others.
I couldn’t imagine a life without volunteering. Especially as a kid it can teach you so much, all while helping others. You get a sense of accomplishment when the task is done- that you are making a dent in the world’s social problems and others may see the example you are setting and follow in your footsteps.
One of my favorite memories of volunteering was when I was fortunate enough to travel with my high school, during spring break my senior year, to Brazil to speak in schools and help out at community shelters. It was an eye-opening and rewarding experience that I will never forget. This year, my sister who is a senior at the same high school I attended, was able to go on the same service trip. I wish I could find the photos I took, but here are a few photos from my sister’s trip.
If you and your teen are looking into summer volunteer programs, make sure to do your research. Visions Service Adventures has been around for 22 years and has a complete list of references and testimonials. Their teen summer program locations include Costa Rica, Peru, Nicaragua, Vietnam and others as well as a few in the United States. This would be a perfect opportunity to give your teen the opportunity to do something on their own, give them a wonderful memory and perhaps spark a lifetime full of interest in service to others.
Sounds like a really good program! I will have to tell my nieces and nephews about it!