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Albert Einstein once said, “Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” Apparently, Albert Einstein has never met teenagers in CSF and NHS. National Honors Society and California Scholarship Federation are clubs here at Dana and other school districts dedicated to volunteering around our local communities. Students from every grade flock towards these clubs in hopes of racking up volunteer hours. But in contrast to Einstein, students are not as invested in the betterment of the lives of others.
CSF and NHS are simply viewed as resume fillers, college application boosters and a one way ticket to a cord or meta or stole worn at graduation. These clubs are not centered around giving back, if all you are doing it for is to get something. Not to mention that “faking hours” and getting your way out of genuine volunteer opportunities is a hidden workaround that goes untalked about.
As a graduating senior, I will be the first to say that I have no problem with doing things solely for college purposes. Volunteering, taking difficult courses and being involved in extracurricular activities are all things that have been done to appeal to college acceptances, myself included. I simply believe that pretending as though volunteer and philanthropy work is a top priority within CSF and NHS is ridiculous. I mean students are basically being bribed with credit in order to pick up trash at the beach for an hour.
The National Honors Society describes itself as“the true mark of student achievement for over 100 years, but it goes far beyond a report card.” California Scholarship Federation similarly states that its purpose is “to recognize and encourage academic achievement and community service among middle and high school students in California.”
This discrepancy between “going beyond a report card”, and having to meet certain requirements and hours met by a certain deadline much like a report card is one aspect of this club that reinforces the idea of doing whatever you have to in order to reap the rewards. CSF similarly shows that the “recognition and encouragement” of students achieving this volunteer work is the main way they entice people to join.
Students must be bribed with recognition for a good deed rather than simply doing it. That is not legitimate volunteering, is it? By all means join and continue with volunteer clubs like CSF and NHS. Just know that if you are looking for meaningful acts of charity and philanthropy, maybe go elsewhere.
Author: Ryan Beavin