Student Service Learning (SSL) hours: every student has to do them. While some students strive for as many hours as they can possibly cram into their already busy high school lives, others are perfectly fine getting the 75 required for graduation. Nevertheless, there’s no getting out of them. Here are six great ways to serve our community to accumulate SSL hours.
1. Tutoring other students – Certain clubs such as National Honor Society host events where students gather and help fellow students in a multitude of subjects. This is a great way for students to meet new people and help their friends achieve better grades. Even one-on-one tutoring outside of NHS events can count toward SSL hours if the time is tracked and an adult signs off on the tutoring sessions. Tutoring isn’t too hard, and if you enjoy teaching other people it can be a great way to gain SSL hours.
2. Taking AP NSL – Taking AP NSL could quite possibly be one of the easiest ways to attain SSL hours. Just by taking the class and writing a letter to one of their senators or government officials, students earn 10 SSL hours. If you are deciding between Honors NSL and AP NSL, then do not forget to take this into account. If you already know you are going to take AP NSL, then it’s your lucky day…at least in terms of SSL hours.
3. Volunteering at your elementary school – Almost every elementary school has events that need volunteers: end of the year celebrations, talent shows, annual carnival days, etc. Any night that your school (or another school) is holding an event that might need volunteers, you can go with a couple of friends and volunteer at these events. This can be a great way to socialize with people of all ages and earn SSL hours along the way.
4. Volunteering at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair – For two weeks every summer, the Montgomery County Fair is held at the county fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. Every year for the four Saturdays leading up to the fair, parts of the fair have to be assembled and organized. The fair is reliant on volunteers for these activities. The sign-up process is easy and the work is straightforward. As an added bonus, you get a free lunch after you finish volunteering, and if you eventually accumulate enough hours volunteering, at the fair, you can gain free admission.
5. Volunteering at an animal shelter – If you love animals and want to make a difference, volunteering at an animal shelter can be a great way to get SSL hours. You can easily get all of your hours at an animal shelter if you make a routine of going for a couple hours every weekend.
6. Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts – Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops participate in service activities that allow their members to get SSL hours. If you are already involved in scouts then you can look into these activities as a productive way of getting SSL hours.

Jason Silverman

Back Page Editor