Brainstorm a list of pros and cons for the school adopting a policy that requires students to complete one hundred hours of community service before graduation.

Answer 1

Pros:

1. Fostering Civic Responsibility: Encourages students to become more engaged and responsible citizens.

2. Skill Development: Provides students with opportunities to gain valuable skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership, and problem-solving.

3. Real-World Experience: Offers hands-on experience in various fields that can enhance future career prospects or academic choices.

4. Building Empathy: Helps students understand different social issues and perspectives, fostering empathy and compassion.

5. Community Engagement: Strengthens the connection between schools and local communities, promoting partnerships and support networks.

6. Enhancing College Applications: Bolsters students' resumes and college applications, showcasing their commitment to service and involvement.

7. Personal Growth: Encourages self-reflection and personal growth as students find passion in various causes and learn about social issues.

8. Networking Opportunities: Provides opportunities to meet new people and build relationships within the community, potentially leading to future job opportunities.

9. Health Benefits: Studies have shown that helping others can improve mental and emotional health, reducing stress and increasing happiness.

10. Life Skills: Teaches time management, organization, and accountability as students balance service hours with academic responsibilities.

Cons:

1. Time Constraints: May impose significant time burdens on students already juggling academics, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments.

2. Inequitable Access: Students from low-income backgrounds may face challenges in finding accessible community service opportunities or may not have the means to participate.

3. Quality vs. Quantity: Emphasizing hours might lead to students engaging in service superficially, focusing on completing hours rather than meaningful contributions.

4. Burnout: Potential for student burnout if community service is seen as an obligation rather than a rewarding experience.

5. Resource Allocation: Schools may need to allocate additional resources or staff to monitor and facilitate required service projects.

6. Diverse Interests: Imposes a potentially one-size-fits-all requirement that does not consider the diverse interests, talents, and passions of individual students.

7. Leadership Concerns: Administrative challenges in overseeing and verifying hours completed could arise, leading to inconsistencies.

8. Possible Resentment: Students may view the requirement negatively, leading to resentment or disengagement from the intended benefits of community service.

9. External Factors: Unforeseen circumstances, such as public health crises or natural disasters, might limit available opportunities for community service.

10. Balance with Education: Risk of diminishing focus on academics if students prioritize fulfilling service hour requirements over their studies.

These pros and cons provide a comprehensive view of the implications of requiring community service hours before graduation.

Answer 2

While the teenage volunteering rate has increased significantly over the last 30 years, teenagers continue to be primarily interested in episodic volunteering (contributing 99 or fewer hours a year). Today, 67.9 percent of teenagers are episodic volunteers.
Teenage volunteers are significantly more likely to serve with educational or youth service organizations today (34.7% in 2005 vs. 26.8% in 1989). In fact, volunteering with a religious organizations [sic] (30.3% in 2005 vs. 34.4% in 1989) was the most common place that teenagers volunteered in 1989 but it is now the second most popular place for teenager volunteering, behind educational organizations.
—Corporation for National and Community Service, “Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends Since 1974”

List two details from the article that support the argument for requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school.

Answer 3

Here are two details from the article that support the argument for requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school:

1. Episodic Volunteering Trend: The statistic that 67.9 percent of teenagers are episodic volunteers, contributing 99 or fewer hours a year, highlights a prevalent trend of limited engagement in community service. Requiring 100 hours of service could encourage teens to move beyond sporadic volunteering and develop a more sustained commitment to community involvement, promoting deeper connections and impact.

2. Shift in Volunteering Focus: The article notes that the majority of teenage volunteers are increasingly serving with educational or youth service organizations (34.7% in 2005 compared to 26.8% in 1989). By incorporating a community service requirement, schools can guide students to participate in meaningful projects within these popular sectors, which may enhance their learning experiences and foster a greater sense of responsibility toward their communities.

Answer 4

List one detail from the article that supports the argument against requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school.

Answer 5

One detail from the article that supports the argument against requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school is the statistic indicating that teenagers are primarily interested in episodic volunteering, with 67.9 percent contributing 99 or fewer hours a year. This suggests that many teens may not be inclined to commit to a significant number of hours, and requiring a specific quota could lead to disengagement or resentment toward community service, as students might perceive it as a burden rather than a meaningful opportunity.

Answer 6

While the volunteer rates of teenagers remained quite low in 1974 and 1989, we find that volunteering rates for individuals aged 16 to 19 actually doubled between 1989 and [2005] — to a rate that exceeds the national volunteer rate …. Increased enthusiasm for volunteering among today’s young people is reflected in other research as well. For example, the Higher Education Research Institute’s (HERI) found an all-time high in the percentage of first-year college students who indicated that there was a high probability that they would volunteer or participate in community service sometime during their college careers. The Corporation’s College Students Helping America report recently highlighted a 20 percent increase in the number of college students volunteering between 2002 and 2005, while the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future study also finds a rising trend in volunteering among teens.

—Corporation for National and Community Service, “Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends Since 1974”

List two details from the article that support the argument for requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school.

Answer 7

Here are two details from the article that support the argument for requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school:

1. Doubling of Volunteering Rates: The article states that volunteering rates for individuals aged 16 to 19 doubled between 1989 and 2005, indicating a significant shift toward increased engagement in volunteer activities. A requirement for 100 hours of community service could capitalize on this rising interest and encourage students to deepen their involvement, further enhancing their commitment to community service.

2. High Probability of Future Volunteering: The Higher Education Research Institute's (HERI) finding that an all-time high percentage of first-year college students indicated a strong likelihood of volunteering or participating in community service during college suggests that young people today are more inclined to engage in service. Mandating community service hours before graduation could help cultivate this enthusiasm at the high school level, preparing students to carry this commitment into their college years and beyond.

Answer 8

While volunteering rates appear to be at a 30-year high today, the last 15 years also suggest some change in how people volunteer. According to our findings, episodic volunteering (serving 99 or fewer volunteer hours in a year) has increased since 1989. While our analysis indicates that the proportion of episodic volunteers increased for all adults age 25 and over in the last 15 years, the overall increase in episodic volunteering since 1989 is largely driven by adults ages 45 to 64 and teenagers…. The critical role that time constraints have on the potential for people to volunteer may help to explain the reason why episodic volunteering became more common between 1989 and 2005….

… To foster greater volunteer growth, it will likely be important to remain sensitive to the time constraints and other responsibilities that individuals and families face, particularly baby boomers and teenagers.

—Corporation for National and Community Service, “Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends Since 1974”

List at least three details from the article that support the argument against requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school.

Answer 9

Here are three details from the article that support the argument against requiring one hundred hours of community service to graduate high school:

1. Increase in Episodic Volunteering: The article notes that episodic volunteering (serving 99 or fewer volunteer hours in a year) has increased since 1989, indicating a preference among individuals, including teenagers, for short-term commitments rather than long-term service. This trend suggests that requiring a specific number of hours might not align with the volunteering habits and preferences of many students.

2. Time Constraints: The article emphasizes the critical role that time constraints play in people's ability to volunteer. It suggests that teenagers, like other demographic groups, face various responsibilities that may limit their capacity to engage in sustained community service. A requirement for 100 hours could exacerbate stress and conflict with their existing commitments to academics and extracurricular activities.

3. Sensitivity to Responsibilities: The article highlights the importance of being sensitive to the responsibilities individuals and families face, particularly for teenagers. This implies that a mandatory community service requirement could overlook the diverse circumstances and challenges that students deal with, potentially leading to a negative perception of community service as an obligation rather than a voluntary and rewarding experience.

Answer 10

Evidence indicates that those who volunteer at an earlier stage are less likely to suffer from ill health later in life . . . . For example: Data from interviews conducted in 1956 and 1986 of a group of women in an upstate New York community found that those women who had volunteered on an intermittent basis from the time that they married until the age of 55 scored higher on functional ability in 1986 than those who had not . . . . At the same time, a negative relation was found between health and paid work and caregiving. The researchers for this study posit that these outcomes may be due to the degree of autonomy that the women had in engaging in different activities: while volunteering was typically a discretionary activity, caregiving and paid employment were generally required of them.

—Corporation for National and Community Service, “The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research”

List one detail supporting the argument for requiring community service in high school.

Answer 11

One detail supporting the argument for requiring community service in high school is the finding that individuals who volunteer at an earlier stage in life are less likely to suffer from ill health later on. The evidence from the study indicates that women who had volunteered intermittently from the time they married until the age of 55 scored higher on functional ability compared to those who did not volunteer. This suggests that instilling a habit of volunteering during high school could have long-term health benefits for students, promoting not only civic engagement but also their overall well-being as they age.