Volunteer opportunities teach lessons

In my short time as a student, athlete, and journalist, classroom education has driven my every action and thought. However academic education does not embody all forms of knowledge and higher learning.

Academics are a foundational element of the society we live in, but academics fail to embody the entirety of education. High school students who solely rely on school for an education are misguided. Students and adults alike need to search for other sources of learning and envelop themselves within society through serving others even while pursuing wisdom.

During my freshman year on campus, I came to the realization that my classes were not providing me with all the information I required to be successful. This newfound perspective led me to enroll in several unique volunteer programs that would force me to see the world via another lens.

While school provides me with the foundations of knowledge and a basic understanding of many institutions, volunteering gives me something that could not be learned in a classroom with desks and chairs.

Through volunteering, we all can learn the importance of giving back to individuals who live alongside us. Learn how to empathize with others and learn real-world skills that will prepare you for future jobs and careers. –Sam Cross

Serving my community taught me how to deal with situations in real time, with real people. Service has taught me how to empathize with others and help them solve their problems. Emotional intelligence can be difficult to learn in classrooms or real life settings without a relationship.

I volunteer at Saint Agnes Hospital and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Both present completely different roles and opportunities to serve and learn. I usually interact with the younger age group at the Chaffee Zoo. Adults and children are completely different in behavior and overall maturity. This was a concept I did not fully grasp until my first hours of volunteering.

At Saint Agnes, I work with nurses and assist them in many of their daily tasks. It is a professional environment which requires discipline and maturity when speaking to and working with the nurses. The Chaffee Zoo and Saint Agnes both present two completely different environments and scenarios for volunteering, but they both provide critical opportunities to engage and learn from experience in work settings.

And while not everyone can volunteer in a hospital or at the zoo, there are many other places to donate one’s time. Places like the Poverello House, Community Food Bank, park cleanups, community gardens are great ways to help people right where they are at. Serving as a mentor-student both on your and other campuses, plus serving at local churches, are all ways to serve. Volunteering is an excellent opportunity to view the world through the lives of those you help.

In fact, thousands of high school students will volunteer to sell Kid’s Day newspapers, March 7. This is a great way to to get involved and raise money to help sick kids. Join with The Fresno Bee, Children’s Hospital, ABC30 and thousands of volunteers and have fun with your peers doing it.

Serving also offers many benefits to the volunteers and those who are helped. Through volunteering, we all can learn the importance of giving back to individuals who live alongside us. Learn how to empathize with others and learn real-world skills that will prepare you for future jobs and careers.

I challenge all students to reach out through selfless acts and in the process improve self and those you serve.

For another article check out: Baseball team enters season with motivation.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: Samuel Cross and via email: Samuel Cross.