Discus Awards

'Tis the season of giving, and what better to give than your time to those who need it most?  Alas, there are so many areas of need in each of our communities, sometimes it's hard to decide how to best donate your time.  Well, we asked Discus Award winners, some of the most involved, community-oriented high school students in the country for some advice, and they shared some ideas for community service activities to participate in this winter.  Feel free to use this as a resource, but remember, no matter what you end up doing, you can make a difference!

 Sarah Dills: "Ring the bell for the Salvation Army, volunteer at a soup kitchen, and/or collect food and clothes donations for a homeless shelter."

 Ashley Glamdoll Nichole: "Put together toy and clothes baskets and deliver them to children who are less fortunate."

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Filed under: Discus Dan • Outside the Classroom • Volunteer Here

Volunteering can mean anything from serving at a local soup kitchen to picking up trash on school property. Everyone has their own way of helping out in the community. Discus Awards winner Kyana created a tutoring program at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake County to help youngsters with reading and math.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, through programs in a variety of areas such as Character & Leadership, Education & Career, The Arts, Sports and more, provide a safe place to learn, grow, and have fun. With more than 4 million boys and girls served in over 4,000 Club locations throughout the 50 states (plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), there’s always a “neighborhood club” nearby.

Some choose to donate money to this organization, but many offer their time to not just volunteer, but to truly become role models to the children at the Club. However you choose to help out, the Boys & Girls Club is a great way to give back to the community.

Tell me about your experiences with the Boys & Girls Club. Post them in the comments section!

Filed under: Discus Dan • Outside the Classroom • Volunteer Here

Key Club International is the largest and oldest service program for high school students in the world. The Key Club provides opportunities for you to not only volunteer for various community service projects, but also to take leadership roles and even develop new service projects of your own. “As president of the Key Club I oversee 80 members and their involvement in the community,” writes Andrew, a Discus Awards winner and a senior in a Washington high school. “I have organized food drives, Red Cross Blood Drives, and various donation projects for the March of Dimes and Diabetes Association.”

Many Discus Awards winners have demonstrated their commitment to community service by getting involved with Key Club. Oklahoma senior Casey Holden wrote, “Key Club is my favorite organization with which I am involved…It has given me the opportunity to head many service projects such as the collection of sports equipment to send to Rwanda and the planting of trees in our local parks.” Through Key Club, Vermont junior Adrienne has “made dolls for children in Africa…and planned bake sales to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the Haiti crisis.”

With a Key Club in more than 5,000 high schools across 30 countries, and an easy process to charter a club at high schools without one, the Key Club is a fun, easy, and wonderful way to enhance your application while making a difference in people’s lives.

Have you volunteered through your Key Club? What have you done?  Share your experiences in the comments section!

Filed under: Discus Dan • Outside the Classroom • The Extracurricular Experience • Volunteer Here