Volunteering and community service are essential to building stronger, more connected communities. Spending both time and skills helping others not only contributes to bettering local establishments but also enables volunteers to leave a positive impact on the world and improve their own character. 

“I think the 25 hours is a good goal because it pushes us to get involved but isn’t too overwhelming,” sophomore Natalie Huerta Gomez said. “I’ve discovered projects I never would have tried otherwise,”

A key value of Convent & Stuart Hall is Social Justice and Service Learning. From first graders to seniors, this core principle guides students to give back to their community in order to cultivate a collective humanity. To nurture this goal of service, high School students are expected to complete 100 hours of volunteering in order to graduate, according to Convent & Stuart Hall.  

Community service has long been a tradition in schools across the country, and Convent & Stuart Hall continues to emphasize its importance. By requiring 25 hours annually, the school ensures students not only complete the work but also experience the personal growth that comes with it. In fact, studies have found that people who regularly complete community service have a better chance of employment by 27%, according to Volunteer Hub. 

“I help the community by coaching a kids’ sports summer camp,” junior Nayalin Lobo said. “I teach them volleyball and basketball for the week, and it is very fun to interact with the little kids,”

To make finding volunteer opportunities easier, Community Life Chair Michael Buckley regularly sends out emails with upcoming service projects. These include activities like volunteering at food banks, helping with campus events and joining community clean-ups. In addition, the school itself organizes group projects that allow students to work together while supporting local causes.

“Service is a central part of the ethos of our school and it’s a stated goal of our five educational goals to create awareness and to act on it,” Buckley said. “In terms of getting volunteers to help out within the school and even with things we’re doing outside of school, like our community, I don’t have much trouble finding students willing to volunteer,”

This tradition of service is designed to create habits of kindness and civic engagement that will continue long after graduation. Students often find that service projects build character and strengthen bonds within the school and the community. 

“When I volunteer, I feel like I’m actually making a difference, even if it’s something small and it’s rewarding to know the time I give really matters to other people,” Gomez said. “I didn’t expect to enjoy volunteering as much as I do, and it’s taught me a lot about myself and what I like to do.”