By Ana Veciana-Suarez
McClatchy Newspapers
To encourage social responsibility and civic engagement, most high schools require volunteer hours for graduation. But for some reluctant students, community service becomes one more dreaded assignment to rush through.
“There are so many opportunities out there, yet too many students wait until the last minute to get their hours,” says Christine Siwek, community-service coordinator for Cooper City High School in Broward. “They come to me in the last part of their senior year desperate for a project, and by then it becomes a burden.”
Looking ahead to the two-week winter break, when many students try to rack up hours, what can parents do to steer them toward meaningful community service?