Volunteer hours: an unnecessary expectation
Ryan Kim / The Samohi
Delmoris Chavarria (‘24) volunteers as a tutor, helping students such as Daphne Lopez (‘26) with math through peer tutoring.
Unsurprisingly, volunteering is a good deed that benefits the community. In fact, many Samo students spend their free time participating in a wide range of volunteer organizations. However, should these good acts of service be a requirement within schools? Although volunteering is a noble service that is needed for the optimal success of a community, it should not be forced upon students as a requirement If volunteer work is forced upon students, it would not have that same fulfillment. Being in a position to help out the community requires leadership. If students are being forced into positions of leadership, the passion that is typically poured into volunteering by true leaders vanishes.
Furthermore, requiring volunteer hours can create trouble in a student’s time management. The hefty workload of students does not allow for much free time, and the little time granted to students should not have to be filled with volunteer hours. Instead of forcing students to volunteer at unfamiliar places, it’s more beneficial to allow them to focus on their academics and extracurricular activities that they find more purposeful and meaningful. If a student doesn’t have the free time to go the extra mile to help out, it should not be forced upon them. However, choosing to volunteer by choice provides students with a sense of accomplishment and allows them to make a difference in their community. Students feel prepared enough to volunteer and find something they want to volunteer in. For example, the National Honor Society requires 30 hours of volunteer service and it’s acknowledged that you accomplish that amount of hours and you get recognition for it.
Yada Taepanicharoen (’25) currently has more than 70 hours of volunteering hours. She started volunteering as a freshman during the summer ever since she found out about Summer Adventure, a summer camp where she worked alongside teachers and faculty. Taepanicharoen said schools should not require volunteer hours but should be encouraged.
“I think requiring it just makes [one] less inclined to actually do volunteering for the joy of it and more for like, ‘Oh, I’m obligated to volunteer,’” Taepanicharoen said. “Requiring volunteering hours just adds to the workload students have already.” H House Principal Tristan Komlos said mandating volunteer hours will make students feel like it’s a requirement which ruins the benefit volunteering brings to you and the community. “I think there has to be a little bit of an incentive for students because the reason it’s not mandated here is because so much service comes through our clubs, which are student-driven. Teachers do not drive clubs, students do,” Komlos said. “I think that we also opened the door for students that aren’t interested in clubs or national honor society by saying that they can earn attendance obligations through volunteer service within our smaller community.” Samo doesn’t require students to volunteer because the school provides various opportunities such as Peer tutoring which allows students to clear up absences while teaching other students about any topic. Moreover, clubs such as Heal the Bay focus on getting volunteer hours while helping their community and others like Legado Latino have the sole purpose of raising money to give back to their community. This makes volunteering so much more fulfilling and worthwhile as you can decide to volunteer at clubs that match your interests. Volunteering can bring many opportunities to showcase your abilities and interests but should be optional to receive those benefits. If you’re forced to volunteer, it wouldn’t be as beneficial as if you decided to volunteer as you would feel more motivated and inspired to help your community.
“I know it sounds really cliche, but to experience things outside of school requirements, experiencing the real world with its interactions and you can gain so many new perspectives from that,” Taepanicharoen said.