Question
Volunteering Is Its Own Reward
1 In his 1961 inaugural address, John F. Kennedy famously
declared, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what
you can do for your country.” With his introduction of the Peace
Corps later that year, President Kennedy initiated an era of
service and volunteerism that remains as active as ever.
2 Today, dedicated Americans still serve communities
throughout the world as Peace Corps volunteers. What’s more,
over the decades new government-sponsored programs have
emerged that carry on and expand the mission to serve.
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, for example, have touched the
lives of millions by engaging youth and senior citizens alike
much closer to home, in their own communities.
3 These large-scale government-sponsored programs
typically require a significant time commitment, but there are
also plenty of other opportunities for busy people who still
want to do their part. Charities and civic organizations allow
time-strapped volunteers to help out where they are needed.
Participants can deliver meals to seniors, spend time with dogs
in animal shelters, and visit people in hospitals. They can even
beautify public parks.
4 According to the Corporation for National and Community
Service’s research report Volunteer Growth in America,
volunteerism is on the rise. For people over age 65, the rate
has increased 64 percent since 1974. Perhaps even more
surprisingly, the rate for adults aged 45–64 has increased
almost 30 percent.
5 This dramatic increase, however, raises an interesting
question. At the risk of sounding cynical, what is in it for
the volunteers?
6 For ambitious youth who want to pad their résumés
with good deeds, the answer may seem obvious. The same
could be said for retirees with plenty of time on their hands.
But what about busy adults with families and full-time jobs?
English II
Page 13
Or hardworking students with demanding schedules? Why should
they make time to do unpaid labor? For those already stressed
out and stretched to the limit, why offer to do extra work?
7 The answer, actually, is quite simple. It’s good for you.
Helping others doesn’t build stress—it relieves it. People who
engage in volunteer activities are happier and stay in good
health longer than those who don’t.
8 Stephanie Watson, of Harvard Women’s Health Watch,
argues that volunteering not only delivers mental health benefits
by making people feel socially connected and less lonely, but it
also may help people live longer. “A growing body of evidence,”
she writes, “suggests that people who give their time to others
might also be rewarded with better physical health—including
lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan.”
9 Rodlescia Sneed, who conducted a study in 2013 on
volunteering, notes that volunteering appears to lower stress.
“Many people find volunteer work to be helpful with respect to
stress reduction, and we know that stress is very strongly linked
to health outcomes,” she says. Sneed’s study found a correlation
between doing 200 hours of volunteer work per year and having
lower blood pressure.
10 Studies have also shown a link between helping others
and being happy. A study conducted by the London School
of Economics and published in Social Science and Medicine
found that the more people volunteered, the happier they
were. Compared to people who never volunteered, people who
volunteered once a month were 7 percent more likely to report
being “very happy.” People who volunteered once a week were
16 percent more likely to report being “very happy.”
11 A 2012 study in the journal Health Psychology had a
particularly interesting result. Like other studies, it found
participants who volunteered on a regular basis lived longer.
But what made this study unique was that it examined the
motives of the participants. The participants “who volunteered
for self-oriented reasons” did not live any longer than those
who did not volunteer at all. In other words, to get the health
benefits of volunteering, the volunteers had to be doing it for the
right reasons. They had to be motivated by a genuine desire to
help others and not by a desire to make themselves feel better.
English II
Page 14
12 If this study is to be believed, altruism truly is its own
reward. Paradoxically, the best way to look after number one
may actually be by not trying to look after number one.
13 Volunteering creates connections, builds communities,
and makes everyone involved healthier and happier. It not
only helps those being helped, it helps the helpers as well. By
asking what you can do for others, you may find what you can
do for yourself.
Add your introductionRequired
Add your body paragraphsRequired
Add your counterargumentRequired
Add your conclusionRequired
Read the article “Volunteering Is Its Own Reward.” Based on the information in the article, write a response to the following:
Write a letter to your principal in which you argue who would benefit most from a volunteering program at school: student participants or members of the community they could serve.
Write a well-organized letter that responds to this prompt. Use specific evidence from the article to support your answer.
Remember to —
clearly state your controlling idea
organize your writing
develop your ideas in detail
use evidence from the selection in your response
use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Manage your time carefully so that you can —
review the selection
plan your response
write your response
revise and edit your response
Do the introduction for this
Start with Volunteering is most beneficial to ________.
1 In his 1961 inaugural address, John F. Kennedy famously
declared, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what
you can do for your country.” With his introduction of the Peace
Corps later that year, President Kennedy initiated an era of
service and volunteerism that remains as active as ever.
2 Today, dedicated Americans still serve communities
throughout the world as Peace Corps volunteers. What’s more,
over the decades new government-sponsored programs have
emerged that carry on and expand the mission to serve.
AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, for example, have touched the
lives of millions by engaging youth and senior citizens alike
much closer to home, in their own communities.
3 These large-scale government-sponsored programs
typically require a significant time commitment, but there are
also plenty of other opportunities for busy people who still
want to do their part. Charities and civic organizations allow
time-strapped volunteers to help out where they are needed.
Participants can deliver meals to seniors, spend time with dogs
in animal shelters, and visit people in hospitals. They can even
beautify public parks.
4 According to the Corporation for National and Community
Service’s research report Volunteer Growth in America,
volunteerism is on the rise. For people over age 65, the rate
has increased 64 percent since 1974. Perhaps even more
surprisingly, the rate for adults aged 45–64 has increased
almost 30 percent.
5 This dramatic increase, however, raises an interesting
question. At the risk of sounding cynical, what is in it for
the volunteers?
6 For ambitious youth who want to pad their résumés
with good deeds, the answer may seem obvious. The same
could be said for retirees with plenty of time on their hands.
But what about busy adults with families and full-time jobs?
English II
Page 13
Or hardworking students with demanding schedules? Why should
they make time to do unpaid labor? For those already stressed
out and stretched to the limit, why offer to do extra work?
7 The answer, actually, is quite simple. It’s good for you.
Helping others doesn’t build stress—it relieves it. People who
engage in volunteer activities are happier and stay in good
health longer than those who don’t.
8 Stephanie Watson, of Harvard Women’s Health Watch,
argues that volunteering not only delivers mental health benefits
by making people feel socially connected and less lonely, but it
also may help people live longer. “A growing body of evidence,”
she writes, “suggests that people who give their time to others
might also be rewarded with better physical health—including
lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan.”
9 Rodlescia Sneed, who conducted a study in 2013 on
volunteering, notes that volunteering appears to lower stress.
“Many people find volunteer work to be helpful with respect to
stress reduction, and we know that stress is very strongly linked
to health outcomes,” she says. Sneed’s study found a correlation
between doing 200 hours of volunteer work per year and having
lower blood pressure.
10 Studies have also shown a link between helping others
and being happy. A study conducted by the London School
of Economics and published in Social Science and Medicine
found that the more people volunteered, the happier they
were. Compared to people who never volunteered, people who
volunteered once a month were 7 percent more likely to report
being “very happy.” People who volunteered once a week were
16 percent more likely to report being “very happy.”
11 A 2012 study in the journal Health Psychology had a
particularly interesting result. Like other studies, it found
participants who volunteered on a regular basis lived longer.
But what made this study unique was that it examined the
motives of the participants. The participants “who volunteered
for self-oriented reasons” did not live any longer than those
who did not volunteer at all. In other words, to get the health
benefits of volunteering, the volunteers had to be doing it for the
right reasons. They had to be motivated by a genuine desire to
help others and not by a desire to make themselves feel better.
English II
Page 14
12 If this study is to be believed, altruism truly is its own
reward. Paradoxically, the best way to look after number one
may actually be by not trying to look after number one.
13 Volunteering creates connections, builds communities,
and makes everyone involved healthier and happier. It not
only helps those being helped, it helps the helpers as well. By
asking what you can do for others, you may find what you can
do for yourself.
Add your introductionRequired
Add your body paragraphsRequired
Add your counterargumentRequired
Add your conclusionRequired
Read the article “Volunteering Is Its Own Reward.” Based on the information in the article, write a response to the following:
Write a letter to your principal in which you argue who would benefit most from a volunteering program at school: student participants or members of the community they could serve.
Write a well-organized letter that responds to this prompt. Use specific evidence from the article to support your answer.
Remember to —
clearly state your controlling idea
organize your writing
develop your ideas in detail
use evidence from the selection in your response
use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Manage your time carefully so that you can —
review the selection
plan your response
write your response
revise and edit your response
Do the introduction for this
Start with Volunteering is most beneficial to ________.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Principal's Name]
[School's Name]
[School's Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear [Principal's Name],
Volunteering is most beneficial to the student participants in our school. While the community members who receive assistance from volunteer programs certainly gain valuable support, the profound rewards experienced by the student volunteers—ranging from improved mental health to greater life satisfaction—far outweigh the benefits to those being served.
Research indicates that when students engage in volunteer activities, they not only contribute to their community but also experience personal growth and emotional enrichment. According to Stephanie Watson from Harvard Women’s Health Watch, volunteering fosters a sense of social connection and alleviates feelings of loneliness, which are particularly important for students who may experience stress and isolation during their academic journeys. Furthermore, numerous studies, including one published by the London School of Economics, have shown a strong correlation between volunteering and increased happiness; students who volunteer regularly are significantly more likely to report feelings of contentment and fulfillment.
Considering these benefits, a school-based volunteering program would promote a culture of empathy and responsibility, while simultaneously enhancing the well-being of student participants. Therefore, I urge you to implement such a program, as the positive impact on our students cannot be overstated.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Grade/Year]
[Your Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Principal's Name]
[School's Name]
[School's Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear [Principal's Name],
Volunteering is most beneficial to the student participants in our school. While the community members who receive assistance from volunteer programs certainly gain valuable support, the profound rewards experienced by the student volunteers—ranging from improved mental health to greater life satisfaction—far outweigh the benefits to those being served.
Research indicates that when students engage in volunteer activities, they not only contribute to their community but also experience personal growth and emotional enrichment. According to Stephanie Watson from Harvard Women’s Health Watch, volunteering fosters a sense of social connection and alleviates feelings of loneliness, which are particularly important for students who may experience stress and isolation during their academic journeys. Furthermore, numerous studies, including one published by the London School of Economics, have shown a strong correlation between volunteering and increased happiness; students who volunteer regularly are significantly more likely to report feelings of contentment and fulfillment.
Considering these benefits, a school-based volunteering program would promote a culture of empathy and responsibility, while simultaneously enhancing the well-being of student participants. Therefore, I urge you to implement such a program, as the positive impact on our students cannot be overstated.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Grade/Year]