Application Enhancement: Service Learning for College Preparation and Career Readiness
Rigorous academics. A calendar full of extracurriculars. A perfect SAT or ACT score. When it comes to preparing our students for success at the university level or in the workplace, our minds often jump to things like these. The research suggests we should also consider service learning for college preparation and career readiness. When we nurture a servant’s heart, reflection, and intentionality in our youth, service learning equips them with real-world skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to step into their next phase of life with confidence. Service learning is more than volunteering; it’s about applying reflective thinking and purpose to real-life challenges. Whether students are creating media…
Humbling Resilience: The Surprising Mental Wellness Benefits of Community Service
Is your teenager resilient? When we think about what helps teens thrive, we often picture supportive families, good friends, and safe schools. But there’s another powerful tool that contributes to academic, social, and even spiritual thriving: service learning. Service learning is a blend of serving others and intentionally coaching or educating. The research shows that it provides huge benefits for mental health in teenagers. Today’s teens face unprecedented levels of stress and anxiety. According to the CDC, 40% of teenagers in 2023 reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless. And 20% experienced suicidal ideation at some point. Being there for our students is essential, but it’s also more challenging than ever…
Everyday Ways to Practice Communication
Communication at home can be hard. This struggle has been a hot topic among parents throughout the pandemic, and with a new school year and new routines looming, tensions and old habits often sneak back in. My organization conducted a survey of parents which showed us that communication at home is harder now than ever – and in many cases not happening at all. After months of sharing the same space with family (and for a good while, only family), teens generally turned inward and struggled to find anything to talk about. Grief and loss felt heavy, and otherwise tiny frustrations mounted. When we see our students pulling away and…
