Like most of us, your summer plans were likely cancelled. This is particularly frustrating when these activities were going to be included in your college applications. Extra-curricular activities and summer experiences provide pleasure, showcase who you are outside of being a student, and offer real life opportunities. Like most challenges, this can also be a time to make lemonade out of lemons. Colleges love students who demonstrate resourcefulness, creativity, and intellectual passion beyond structured activities. I’ve compiled a list of things to consider doing this summer in the absence of sports, camps, jobs, internship and travel. And, last but not least, my advice to every high school Junior is to get a jump on those pesky college applications and essays (we have a solution for that too!)
Ideas for Remote Volunteering and Community Service:
BookShare Is designed to help people with reading disabilities. If you are 15 or older, you can volunteer to edit, read a description or scan and proofread documents.
Be My Eyes is a free app connecting blind and low-vision people with sighted individuals. As a volunteer, you will have the ability to help people with disabilities manage daily challenges through live video calls.
Amnesty Decoders is an innovative way for volunteers worldwide to use their computers or smartphones to help researchers sift through critical information. Join a global network of volunteers helping locate and expose human rights violations.
The Zooniverse provides an opportunity for anyone to help out with important research. Simply select a project in an area that interests you – such as space, nature, or the arts – and get started. You could be part of a new discovery!
Operation Gratitude is the largest nonprofit in the country for hands-on volunteerism in support of Military, Veterans, and First Responders. Since 2003, the organization has delivered more than 2.6 Million Care Packages and has provided opportunities for countless Americans to forge strong bonds with their Military and First Responder heroes through volunteer service projects, acts of gratitude, and meaningful engagements in communities nationwide.
United Nations Volunteers. If you’re looking to take your online volunteering worldwide, this is the place to start. UNV connects you with organizations working for peace and development in need of skills like research, writing, art, and design. There are already over 12,000 volunteers from 187 countries lending their talents to organizations around the globe.
Catchafire. This volunteer search tool is exclusively for online volunteer projects. Each one has a timeline that can range anywhere from an hour to a few weeks. So whether you have an afternoon or several, you can help not-for-profit with tasks like writing thank you letters or editing photos.
Smithsonian Digital Volunteers. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, but even they could use a little help sometimes. Help make their collections more accessible by volunteering online to transcribe historical documents or edit Wikipedia articles related to their artifacts and research.
Translators Without Borders. For those fluent in more than one language, check out this nonprofit that combines language skills with humanitarian aid. Volunteers provide translations (10 million words a year!) to international organizations that focus on crisis relief, health and education.
Crisis Text Line. Here’s a perfect example of technology being used for good. Become a volunteer to help the Crisis Text Line continue to offer free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. If you’re at least 18 and can commit to volunteering four hours each week, you can apply to be trained for free.
Project Gutenberg. Founded in 1971, this may just be the virtual volunteering effort that started it all. The goal is to create the largest digital library, and so far they’ve amassed 59,000 free eBooks. Volunteer by donating eligible materials, transcribing books into a digital form, or proofreading others’ work.
DoSomething.org. DoSomething empowers young people to enact social change both online or off. Volunteer online through one of our campaigns to help solve real-world problems. DoSomething members have used the internet to successfully urge Apple to diversify their emojis, change the dictionary definition of “Black/black”, and create the largest crowdsourced anti-bullying guide.
Are you Politically engaged? Care about an issue?
You know how everybody says “write a letter to your senator?” It’s a great time NOW to write a letter to your Senator!
Even if you won’t be 18 by Election Day, you still have the ability to make a difference in the upcoming election. Check out Rock the Vote for ways to get involved.
Environmental Interests:
Clean up trash in your local parks/neighborhoods – do it with other environmentally aware friends but be sure to social distance! (Maybe your school will give you community service hours for this.
Learn how to compost.
Start a vegetable garden.
Love to Read?
Connect with other friends who also love to read and stay connected by starting a Zoom Book Club.
Start your own book review blog. Publish it in your school newspaper next year.
Love to Write?
Journal about your thoughts, reactions and perspective while sheltering at home. This may come in handy if you choose to answer the optional COVID question now added on the Common App.
Start your own blog or publish your articles/stories/poems. Here is link to 10 journals that publish HS students’ writing.
Want to learn something new just for the fun of it? Take on on-line class on something you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t had the time. Here are some ideas:
Art
Coding
A new language
Sign Language
Meditation
Yoga
Photography
Public Speaking Skills and Techniques
And, finally, get a head start on your college applications and essays: While even in normal times, it’s best to have 80% of your college essays and applications completed prior to the start of Senior Year, this year it’s more important than ever before. Due to inconsistencies in grading second semester Junior year and the absence of test scores from students who decide to opt in to new test optional policies, admissions committees will be putting more weight on personal statements, supplemental essays and other more subjective areas of the application. Students must be prepared to write more essays this application cycle. We are working hard to bring our popular College Application and Essay Summer workshops to our students remotely (If needed) with the same interactive, personal experience that they would receive in-person. Whether in-person or remotely, your student will:
Learn how to effectively optimize each component of the application process, including personal essay, activity lists and recommendations.
Complete a solid essay draft for the Common App and/or Coalition App (UW).
Understand how to prioritize activity lists and write effective, stand-out activity descriptions within the space constraints of each application format.
Understand the components of writing an effective “Why Us?” essay.
Understand best practice usage for optional essay sections.
Sign up for our Summer 2020 College Application Workshops here!
Lastly, each workshop also includes a Parent Night, in which parents join us to learn about the full body of a college application and how they are used. Parents also get to take part in a small break-out session where they play the part of a college admissions administrator in a mock admissions case study. This year, we are taking Parent Night virtual and offering it to anyone who wants to join. Our first two virtual College Admission Parent Nights are scheduled for Tuesday, June 2nd at 6:30 - 8:00 PST and Saturday, June 27th at 10AM - 11:30 PST.
Register for Parent Night here: Parent Night Registration.
We hope you can join us!
Stay tuned for updated editions of summer opportunities!