Thursday June 28, 2012, 1:28 am
I couldn't agree more.

Thursday June 28, 2012, 3:01 am
It's important to get student involve in community.

Thursday June 28, 2012, 9:08 am
thanks

Thursday June 28, 2012, 9:45 am
EXCELLENT

Thursday June 28, 2012, 3:25 pm
is good to start early the kids to do voluntary work, this way they grow up to be responsible citizens, keep them busy and away from getting in trouble, making a difference, and making the community proud of them that is their recognition.

Thursday June 28, 2012, 3:32 pm
Some US public high school required student volunteer during junior and senior year "co-op/ Vocational training in club" for credit. I remember when I join High school club (Health, engineer, etc) doing my junior transition to senior year, We have to volunteer at either a hospital, major corporation, public school, or country club.

Thursday June 28, 2012, 4:50 pm
All good reasons. I'm a military veteran of the Viet Nam era, enlisted out of high school because being a farm kid there was no money for college and I knew I'd eventually get drafted anyway, so joined to get the GI Bill, which did eventually produce the first college degree in my family. I was the youngest kid in my class, 17 when I graduated. No way was I ready for college. Had I been able to go, I doubt I'd have made it a year. We aren't fully grown, mature beings at 17 or 18. One of the things the military did for me was provide a bridge between adolescence and adulthood. No matter what I did with my pay, all $137 a month of it, I still had a place to sleep, food and clothing. I've thought about that a lot in the years since then. I am not sure it wouldn't be a good idea, as some countries already do, to have a period of national service, not necessarily military, but in any number of public works oriented areas of 12 to 24 months duration that every kid, including the golden spoon ones, would have to complete prior to further education or the work force. I think it would give most of them a broader perspective than they managed to get in their high schools as well as provide them with experience in real life situations that they could take with them to a job, college and indeed throughout their lives. New place, new people, new experiences in the service of the greater good of the nation. I still tussle with the idea but haven't given up on it though I don't expect to see it in any political platform in my lifetime - the only service politicians want of kids is to fight their dirty little wars for them, other people's kids,not their own. That hasn't changed at all. But still, I wonder about REAL public service and if it might not be a good idea for everyone. :^)

Thursday June 28, 2012, 5:01 pm
These are all excellent points. I've been a volunteer for over 30 years.

Thursday June 28, 2012, 5:45 pm
thanks

Thursday June 28, 2012, 5:46 pm
thanks

Thursday June 28, 2012, 8:10 pm
get them off the computer, outside the house and in with real humans not avatars. They will meet people NOT their age, NOT their race, NOT their religion and of differant points of view. Time to be around adults that have fresh ideas, challenging situations, learn compassion and responsibility. win win situation.

Friday June 29, 2012, 1:26 am
noted and shared

Friday June 29, 2012, 3:41 am
Some kids learn by doing, not everything should come out of a textbook. Getting outside and off the PC is a great idea all around!

Friday June 29, 2012, 4:01 am
A small group of students who do community work helped clean up my large garden. I was very grateful, and they were a nice bunch of kids.

Friday June 29, 2012, 4:23 am
I completely agree.

Friday June 29, 2012, 5:07 am
It's fine if kids want to volunteer in the community but I don't think that they should be forced to do so. America is hurtling towards fascism and no one seems to care.

Friday June 29, 2012, 7:05 am
I agree Craig. Children should be doing community service alonside their parents. Our church has youth groups who do these things regularly.

Friday June 29, 2012, 7:46 am
Noted, I agree.

Friday June 29, 2012, 7:51 am
Does no one in the USA understand the concept of moderation? Required community service is by definition not voluntary, it is involuntary servitude, aka slavery. And NO, it does not matter for what cause the involuntary action is required. People, particularly teenagers and tweens, are just as likely to react with open rebellion or subtle sabotage than joyous involvement. You want to increase the level of community service then you need to start with a culture where that Voluntary service is not only common place, appreciated but actually lauded. Which is going to be difficult with so many families struggling just to stand still in this economy and students are more and more forced to work as soon as legally possible.
I give you two things to consider: One consider the absolute derision that the President of the USA gets from the Repug/Tea Bagged for being a 'Community Organizer' and two consider the Vatican attack on Catholic Nuns for wasting their time on the needs of the poor, the sick and the old not attacking the rights of Women and LGBT persons combined with the call from the Right to pistol whip the Nuns.
To be blunt you are going to have to stop the Repug/Tea Bagged/Corporate/Christian Taliban of America criminalizing of all the things for which any Community Service can be put to good effect. You now have one state, Alabama I believe that has made the discussion 'sustainability' illegal, the Community Service of voting is intentionally being suppressed in Red State after Red State, just exactly what you can and can not do as "Community Service" is under assault, for the most part Community Organizers and volunteers are seen as sinful by Repug/Tea Bagged reich-wing conservatives because they tend not to vote for them, and some actually oppose them, and they tend to do things that benefit groups/minorities thatare not part of their politica power base.

Friday June 29, 2012, 8:04 am
Wow Lloyd, what a large load of crap that post is.

Friday June 29, 2012, 8:05 am
Sorry, I should have noted the 1st part of it I agree with. The last part is the huge stinking pile.

Friday June 29, 2012, 7:34 pm
there's no difference between teaching home skills, shop skills and community involvement. many kids are in school involuntarily. every aspect of their education is for their own betterment, whether or not it is relevant to their future career.

Saturday June 30, 2012, 9:24 am
agreed.

Saturday June 30, 2012, 11:35 am
This was something mandatory at my son's school - it taught him many skills and was very worthwhile!

Saturday June 30, 2012, 2:04 pm
Schoolchildren're supposed to be learning about doing things well and I think it'd be a good thing to have them learn about participation by doing community service. Adults've the right not to volunteer if they please but education of children involves teaching them things and exposing them to what we've a belief is good for them. And volunteering's fun.

Sunday July 1, 2012, 12:37 am
With our society becoming more & more 'ME' based, I think it is crucial that all schools, at every level have community service based projects. Our children need to become more conscious of our society & it's needs. Community service is a humbling experience that helps enrich the lives of so many. Schools could incorporate community service into their curriculum, it is a win, win situation. I wish it were mandatory......

Thursday July 12, 2012, 10:37 am
The Student Council in my middle school, participates in a massive community service project; usually it involves animals: shelters, rescue organizations, local trap and neuter organizations, etc.
This past school year, my shelter was the chosen "project". The donations were incredible.