Community Service Ideas For Students

Many colleges want to see what kinds of community service applicants have done during high school. Thankfully, there are many community service ideas to try out.

Here’s a brief list of community service ideas to use if you haven’t found the time to provide service just yet for college applications.

Don’t forget to see what SAT prep and ACT prep courses we have starting soon, especially if you haven’t taken either test yet.

Helping Out Kids

• Begin tutoring students at your school in subjects that you’re strong at, or start a peer tutoring program
• Become a summer camp counselor or help volunteer with children’s programs at a local community center
• Help coach a local youth sports team
• Volunteer to read at your local library to children
• Teach mini classes or lessons at an after-school program or daycare center for pre-school kids
• Contact your local high school or community mentorship program and become a mentor

Helping Promote Safety

• Volunteer to help at a local police or fire station
• Become a certified lifeguard and volunteer your help at a local pool and/or beach
• Help clean up graffiti damage in your neighborhood
• Help organize a self-defense class
• Volunteer your time at a drug prevention program
• Start a neighborhood watch program to promote safety
• Teach a home-alone safety class for small kids
• Volunteer as a crossing guard for a local elementary school

Helping Out Schools

• Start or work with a local anti-bullying program
• Work with students to help maintain the school premises, e.g., picking up trash, helping plant a garden, help paint areas with school officials’ permission
• Collect prom outfits to donate to students who have problems affording them.
• Start a food pantry at a school to hold canned goods and other useful nonperishables like toiletries.
• Collect backpacks and other school supplies for families who have trouble affording them.
• Seek out donations for books and other supplies, leading to a fundraiser to help out.

Helping Out The Community At Large

• Help paint local park benches
• Donate used books to your library
• Volunteer your time as a tour guide for a local museum
• Help plant flowers and other plants in public areas
• Organize a campaign to raise money for new playground equipment
• Volunteer time to help organize a community-hosted parade
• Help clean up a vacant public lot
• Adopt a section of highway and spend time cleaning up trash alongside it
• Help fix or raise money for a run-down playground or park
• Help local clean up efforts after a natural disaster occurs

Helping Out The Homeless

• Volunteer time at a local soup kitchen or food bank
• Host a Thanksgiving dinner for people or donate supplies to a local food bank hosting a dinner
• Organize a food or clothing drive for a local shelter
• Help build homes with Habitat For Humanity for the homeless
• Help buy Christmas gifts or participate in a Toys 4 Tots program during the holidays
• Provide free babysitting service for families that need childcare help
• Become a Big Buddy or mentor to a child at a homeless shelter

For more test strategy, college admissions, and scholarship application tips sign up for our FREE class happening right now!