Cas Bransford

    School is almost out for summer vacation, and many students will be looking forward to freedom, no classes, and all kinds of other summer activities. There will also be students looking for volunteer opportunities to build their resumé, gain experience, or simply serve their community. There are many options to consider for MRHS students looking for volunteer work.

    For starters, students can volunteer at a local nursing home or assisted living facility. There are several in Howard County, and many want volunteers like MRHS students. One of these facilities is Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant. They accept volunteers as young as 13. At age 14+, volunteers can help in escorting residents to activities and events. Volunteers support activities, perform shows for residents, assist in programming, and keep residents company. Participating at retirement homes will help serve the elderly of the community, provide helpful experience, and look good on resumés.

    Students can also volunteer in the Howard County Conservancy. For volunteers aged 14+, they can participate in habitat restoration. Volunteers can remove invasive plants, replant and maintain native plants, restore banks of streams, trail maintenance and erosion control, and other conservation efforts. This work allows students to help their local environment and get outdoors for something worthwhile. They can even meet new people and make new friends whilst serving their community.

    Of course, one can’t forget the classic food bank. For students aged 16+, they can assist in stocking and sorting food, as well as assisting shoppers in the marketplace at the Howard County Food Bank. Hours are Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm. This is a worthwhile and easy way to serve the community through basic stocking, sorting, and assistance at the food bank. They’ll also be helping do great things for the less fortunate in the community.

    Another opportunity is in the Howard County Library System. Whether one is a freshman or senior, all students can participate in HCLS. Volunteers can maintain book shelves, maintain the garden, assist in the summer reading program, join a teen action board to discuss topics of interest, and even teach at the library, which is quite an expansive list that any high school student can do. The teaching opportunity is especially advantageous to students who plan to teach as a career. This will look very good on a resumé when applying to college for an education degree. Having this experience and show of interest will give future teachers an upper hand in the application process.

    Whether one is volunteering at an assisted living facility or helping to conserve the environment, volunteering provides unique experiences and has a nice look on a resumé or application. This list provided a few different opportunities for those who wanted to volunteer, but didn’t know what to do. Of course, there are many other opportunities out there, but this list should’ve provided some ideas for those who were unsure.