The numbers seemed overwhelming, so I thought I should get started on my volunteer work right away. The guidance office reiterated that failure to complete the mandatory hours was something that could potentially prevent students from participating in the graduation ceremony, so they highly recommended starting as soon as possible. It sounded more like a threat, but their words weren’t empty because every year there are students who fail to complete their hours and therefore cannot take the big walk to receive their diploma.

When you think about it, high school students are just a few hours in a soup kitchen or a summer camp away from fulfilling the volunteer requirement. But that’s the thing — we think about it. We don’t just do it. Of course, there are several students who are extraordinary and have hundreds of hours, but there are still many high school students that are content to only reach the mandatory 40. There’s a mentality among some that as soon as the requirement is reached, they feel no desire to go further.

From what I’ve observed, high school students view mandatory volunteer work the same way they view house chores. For example, your mother leaves a list of things for you to do such as washing dishes, vacuuming and cleaning your room, and you do what is asked on the list. However, you notice that the living room looks unorganized but because tidying that room wasn’t on the list, you don’t bother cleaning it up. Inside a teenager’s head, going beyond what is asked is extra work. Why go beyond what has been requested after you’ve accomplished what’s needed to be done?

But there are benefits to going the extra mile, just as their are benefits to obtaining volunteer experience. It looks good on university applications and it helps students who haven’t had a paying job experience what work life is like. But the best part of volunteering is knowing that you have contributed something to your community. It may not be a lot, but it’s at least something.
I’ve volunteered at soup kitchens and summer camps and what I enjoyed from both is the smiles I’ve received from complete strangers who seem grateful for my help.

If more students went beyond what is expected of them, not only through volunteer hours, but in life, they’d prosper and receive unexpected rewards.

Simple acts of kindness never hurt anyone.

(Oro, 17, is a Grade 12 student at St. Joseph’s College School in Toronto.)