Volunteering as a teenager offers numerous benefits across various aspects of a student’s life. It can teach students to foster and grow numerous, valuable skills to help them later in life. Skills like teamwork, communication, and leadership provide opportunities to explore interests, make new friends, boost self-confidence, and improve the local community. By working with others, teens develop teamwork skills which are great for beginning a career. Engaging in activities aligned with their interests helps them explore potential professions or lifelong passions.

Colleges and employers value volunteering experience because it demonstrates qualities like dedication, empathy, and civic engagement. It shows that applicants are proactive in making a positive impact on their communities. Additionally, it provides insight into their applicant’s interests, values and character, helping colleges assess their potential contribution to campus life and the broader community. Volunteering can distinguish applicants and enhance their chances of admission to colleges and universities. Volunteering teaches life lessons.

Warhill High School’s Key Club Faculty Advisor Hannah Lisagor stated, “Being a Key Club advisor brings me joy, and I was in key club when I was in high school, so I decided to start it up at Warhill. I love seeing members grow their volunteering and mature emotionally.”

By working with diverse groups of people, volunteers learn to empathize with different perspectives and understand the challenges other people might go through. Being a volunteer allows people to develop a sense of responsibility as they commit to contributing to the wellbeing of their communities. Individuals can hone essential skills like communication, teamwork, problem solving and leadership as they collaborate with others who want to achieve similar goals. Furthermore, the act of volunteer work provides a sense of fulfillment and purpose reinforcing the importance of making a positive difference in the world.