After a long week of classes and sports, it can be hard to climb out of bed on a weekend and and drag oneself to do more work.

Once a year a groups from Convent and Stuart Hall gather at the beaches of Lands End for the annual coastal clean up, picking up plastic bags, cigarette butts and empty soda cans. Among this group of high school students is sophomore Jewel Devorawood, who plays her part by carrying a hefty bag of trash on one shoulder.

“I have enjoyed participating in our community service trips in both my freshman and sophomore year because of what I have learned,” sophomore Jewel Devorawood said. “I learned that you can never give too much to the community. You can be helpful in so many ways, whether it is picking up trash or feeding the homeless the possibilities are huge,and volunteering at convent is one of them.”

Being a part of the Network of the Sacred Heart Schools, Convent’s community service broadens individual outlooks on the world, realizes the responsibility with regards to the poor, the environment, the elderly and to encourage serving the community.

“Community service helps build bonds between people and is the foundation of creating a better community,” theology teacher Paul Lorentz said. “It can also provide students with community service hours, which doesn’t hurt because you need 100 hours in order to graduate — so why not start early?”

Opportunities to join a community service program outside of school are listed on the school website under “Campus Life”. Volunteer internships include the environment, elderly, hunger and homeless, youth and health.

Over the past two decades there has been a growing body of research concluding volunteering provides individual health benefits in addition to social benefits. Volunteering provides the participant with physical and social activity and a sense of purpose at a time when their social roles are changing, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service organization.

“If we do our community service we get the best of both worlds,” Devorawood said. “We help the environment, or people in need and we learn new things in the process that can be kept with us throughout our lives.”