Opinion: Volunteer Time Should Not Be Bought

Allowing+students+to+buy+their+community+service+hours+sends+the+wrong+message+and+puts+a+low+value+on+hard+work+and+real+volunteerism%2C+says+Tyrone+senior+Ashlynn+McKinney.

Eagle Eye photo illustration. Background image was originally posted to Flickr by NAVFAC at https://flickr.com/photos/39845951@N05/7847374210

Allowing students to buy their community service hours sends the wrong message and puts a low value on hard work and real volunteerism, says Tyrone senior Ashlynn McKinney.

As children, we are taught that money should never be able to buy your way out of a situation, but a recent decision by the Tyrone Area High School involving what constitutes “community service,” does just that.

Tyrone High School recently approved a plan to allow students who donate items for a bake sale and a donation drive to exchange those donations for community service hours.

Allowing students to buy their community service hours sends the wrong message and puts a low value on hard work and real volunteerism.

Allowing students to buy their community service hours sends the wrong message and puts a low value on hard work and real volunteerism.

The bake sale in support of FFA adjacent organizations and the FFA donation drive for the Eagle’s Closet are both worthy causes and something that students should support. However, offering community service hours in exchange for these donations undermines the true spirit of community service.

For families with the means, it takes very little time and effort to buy a bottle of shampoo in exchange for 25 minutes of community service. The only “work” a student with money must do to earn community service hours is the time it takes them to walk the items from their car to the classroom.

Students actively volunteering their time to help a worthy cause is far different, and much more important, than dropping off an item that the student may or may not have paid for.

According to FFA President Hailey Houck, the difference is clear, “It is easier for most people to go to a store to pick up some items to donate and earn community service hours.”

There are many examples of students in our school who have given hundreds of hours of community service. Senior Marley Grazier will graduate with over 150 hours of community service.

Grazier volunteered throughout COVID and spent many days giving back to her community while simultaneously maintaining high grades and involvement in many clubs and activities.

And for the price of 75 cheesecakes, a student can “earn” the same number of community hours as Marley.

There are so many opportunities for students to volunteer in the community that there is no reason to allow students to avoid doing community service by simply donating a few items.

However we cannot expect students to understand the significance of this “cheating” if our principal does not either, “I don’t think the rewards are any different: you are rewarding your hours but you are also rewarding your donation,” said Tyrone Principal Chad Packer.

Although I don’t know what reward comes from giving up one’s time and then documenting that time? It is far different than a sale of hours for donations.

Within the school alone, there are numerous ways for students to earn volunteer hours. YAN hosts its annual Halloween event and 4-D movie which are events all students are invited to participate in. Each student who participates in the spring community clean-up day earns community service hours. The NHS hosts many activities for its members to participate in and would openly welcome other students to help.

Outside the school, there are numerous church groups, two fire companies, and many other local organizations in Tyrone that are always looking for volunteers to help.

There are also many organizations that give awards to students for community service that this policy will negatively impact.

The Challenge Program gives a $200 cash award to the student with the most volunteer hours in the school year. Students who submit community service hours are eligible for the Challenge Program community service award.

Donating to worthy causes should be encouraged, but allowing students to “earn” community service hours for spending a few dollars is wrong and should not be allowed in our school.

If students can buy these hours are they not undermining the significance or requirements for the award?

This past year senior Hailey Vanish and junior Alysa Wheland were both awarded scholarships for the time they spent doing community service.

“I volunteered a lot of my time at the library checking out books for patrons,” said Wheland, “I think the Challenge Program encourages students to be involved in their community. I think that buying hours to support another club diminishes the value of other people’s community service.”

The freshman class also has a new requirement of 15 hours of community service to graduate.

Some students may be worried about how they will obtain their hours, but this is not the way.

Tyrone is statistically an underprivileged community, with 51% of the student body qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches. Allowing students with the means to have a loophole to buy these hours sends a clear message that our community isn’t worth giving back to and isn’t deserving of our time.

If students are allowed to buy their community service hours are we not giving children who come from wealthier families even more of an advantage over children from families who struggle financially?

In the past few years, people in the Tyrone community have made great strides to improve our community and implement programs to inspire involvement and pride in the Tyrone community.

Local business owner Dustin Elder says, “People should do community service. It’s important to take pride in your community.”

Donating to worthy causes should be encouraged, but allowing students to “earn” community service hours for spending a few dollars is wrong and should not be allowed in our school.