Altruistic student encourages peers to serve community
Katie Mount (12), president of Wooster High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society, shares her thoughts on the importance of volunteering.
What is the role of NHS in motivating students to volunteer?
National Honor Society was founded with the value that those who are inducted are leaders in their school and community. This group of leaders should demonstrate that volunteering is a civil duty and a benefit to society or communities overall.
High school students are busy. Why is it important that they make time for community service?
There will always be obstacles in life that could hinder someone from going out of their way to help someone. Community service is so imperative because it promotes total selflessness and responsibility. Everyone is responsible for keeping up their community and benefitting the world with their time. High school students are extremely busy, but so is the average adult. Community service allows anyone to balance their time so that they can live more happily and so can everybody else.
What would you tell high school students who see volunteering solely as a resume booster?
While I don’t see the same viewpoint, I think as long as people are volunteering, there’s no problem. I’d say that once someone starts volunteering, they change their mind… Getting someone to volunteer is difficult, but once they do, it changes their motivation.
Do you feel that our generation is more or less interested in volunteer work than previous ones?
I’d say our generation volunteers differently… I’ve noticed a lot more people my age like to volunteer in organic and environmental-based organizations. Whereas 10 years ago, it’d be more oriented to drug-prevention. I don’t think our generation is less inclined to volunteer, they just choose different mediums.