There are service projects done by student-led organizations at LASA that give students an opportunity to volunteer and improve their communities. Newer clubs, such as Helping Hands and Bake a Difference, and older organizations such as the National Honor Society (NHS) have all started to provide more chances for service hours in the LASA community. Many members of such clubs enjoy the new opportunities for service projects.
Freshman Kate Wright, a new member of Bake a Difference, enjoys the club because of the welcoming environment. She originally joined the club for baking and additionally got an opportunity to give back to the community, which she feels enriched her experience.
“It makes me happy to help other people, and I also love baking, so it was a good compromise,” Wright said. “More people should be helping out by donating and giving anything that helps. I think that donating time, patience, and peace of mind is the most valuable in terms of volunteering versus donating. Volunteering is less about money and goods, and rather more time.”
Wright participates in weekly projects by either baking or organizing donation events at the club’s meetings. The donations go towards whatever charity the club chooses each week, like Austin Pets Alive and Keep Austin Beautiful.
“We do take a couple of weeks to figure out what kind of project we want to do, and then as soon as we figure out where we wanna donate, we decide on who wants to bake and who wants to volunteer to sell,” Wright said. “We bake, select charities that we are passionate about, and we also volunteer at the tables to run the whole thing.”
Freshman Jack Lovelace, a member of Bake a Difference, is always willing to volunteer and believes that finding time to donate in any way possible is something that everyone should take the time to do. He believes this is something that is lacking at LASA, and with this belief, he takes initiative and volunteers with multiple service clubs each week.
“I don’t think we have enough volunteers here at LASA,” Lovelace said. “People should help in any way they can, like if you’re good at a certain subject, tutoring peers is an option. Organizing student groups here to go outside of LASA to help out around town is always helpful. There isn’t anything specific that matters the most in volunteering, so anything anyone can do to contribute is more than enough.”
Lovelace was adamant about the fact that Bake a Difference finds volunteer work crucial to building a strong community. He thinks communities built by service projects are greater than ones without them, particularly schools, and that these new developments in the community are strengthening LASA.
“I feel like it’s important that LASA has a great community, and that we need to put our effort into making a stronger one here,” Lovelace said. “It’s a big school, and some people can get lost in it without a community to be there for them. The more we help each other, the better the school will be.”
Senior Mateo Rives, an Environmental Club member, avidly encourages people to volunteer if they have time. However, he thinks requirements for service hours are unnecessary and there is still room for improvement when it comes to that aspect of volunteering.
“Volunteering is all about just showing up to help, you shouldn’t be required because that just defeats the purpose,” Rives said. “But, if you do have extra time and something you can help with, you should. There are lots of communities that serve LASA as a whole.”
Rives feels that volunteering is always a great thing to do whenever you have spare time. He thinks volunteering is always helpful, no matter how small the service.
“I like volunteering because it makes me feel good helping out,” Rives said, “Everything feels like it makes an impact. Doing something for your community is always helpful. Lots of non-profit organizations can’t afford to hire people so volunteering is great for that reason too. There’s no downside to volunteering, you help people out, and it makes you feel good.”
