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By Lena Pearson

For the Clemmons Courier

As August begins, the dwindling days of summer vacation aren’t the only thing on the Titans’ minds. As of the first of the month, the Common App is officially open for high school students, putting the college application process in full swing. Despite the stress of piecing together the perfect application with a well-written essay and substantial grades, other important aspects of the application can be completed with both ease and enjoyment. Community service hours are helpful when applying to college, and there are plenty of local options available.

Project Spread JOY

Founded and led by young students in North Carolina, Project Spread JOY is a non-profit organization that serves to connect senior citizens and youth through phone calls and letter writing. As a community service project, Project Spread JOY gives students the opportunity to write 12 letters over the course of three months to form connections with senior citizens in the community. Every four letters written counts as an hour of community service for college or scholarship applications, and all information can be found on the organization’s website: spreadjoy.info.

H.O.P.E of Winston-Salem

Dedicated to giving children and families access to nutritious meals and improved health, H.O.P.E of Winston-Salem distributes healthy meals to families that struggle with food insecurity. Every Saturday, H.O.P.E assembles meals for those in need, and volunteers of any age are welcome to help. The organization also offers community service opportunities that can be completed at home, such as baking nutritious desserts for the lunches they deliver. Volunteer sign up is available on their website: hopews.org.

Operation Gratitude

Through creating handmade and sentimental gifts, Operation Gratitude strives to honor the military and first responder communities for their service. Volunteers are offered a number of helpful items to create such as lanyards and fleece hats as a token of appreciation for those who serve. The organization’s website (operationgratitude.com) provides a list of creations that can be sent to troops and first responders along with the amount of community service hours earned from each project.

UNMUTE

For those who are musically inclined, UNMUTE offers students a unique community service opportunity where they can showcase their talent. With this organization, students can record their instrumental performances that will be shared with senior residents in assisted living facilities. UNMUTE is a rewarding experience for both the volunteers and the senior citizens, as music is used to connect the two communities. For each performance, a student can earn up to two hours of community service. Additional sign up information can be found at unmutemusician.org.

Although the dreaded college application process is now upon many Titans, taking time to complete community service projects can be a breath of fresh air. Not only does the service strengthen an application, but it is a positive way to give back to your community. With access to various service opportunities that will benefit yourself and others, consider volunteer work before finalizing your application and clicking “submit.”