Why should children volunteer?

An Eighth-grader makes a case for volunteering to answer the question. When I read this, I felt so proud of Kyler. I don’t know Kyler. But I would love to know him. When I first read this letter by him to the editor of Marietta Times, making a case for kids to volunteer, my first word was ‘WOW’. Imagine a boy no more than 12 or 13 years of age saying:

I know most of you guys and girls are busy, but I know someone would greatly appreciate it if you could find time to help your community.

I strongly believe that there is no age limit for volunteering – that both children and seniors should actively volunteer. Coming from the heart of a child, Kyler’s letter is like a huge support to this belief. And I would love for all our reader’s to read this letter. The original letter is published here. I’m reproducing it here for our reader’s convenience:

My name is Kyler Decker and I’m an eighth-grade student at Warren Elementary. I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to put my opinion in the newspaper. I enjoy reading the opinion section of the Marietta Times and I thought maybe I could voice my opinion, too.

Volunteering, it’s an interesting word. It means to someone or something with no benefit in return. You may be thinking, “Why would I do that?” and, “What’s the point of doing something for nothing in return?” There are a lot of benefits to volunteering you just have to look past the money.

Volunteering is an important part of the community, without volunteers the community would fall apart. In Marietta we need volunteers to put on our festivals and we wouldn’t be able to keep our historic town in the condition it is in today. One advantage to volunteering is that you can fit it around almost any schedule.

Volunteering also has many morale benefits. When you help other people you always feel good afterward. It’s the same thing with volunteering, when you help out your community or a deserving organization you always feel good afterward.I believe volunteering is essential to any community because it helps boost the community’s morale. This is why there are many volunteers in many communities.

I know most of you guys and girls are busy, but I know someone would greatly appreciate it if you could find time to help your community.Kyler Decker

Marietta

I would love to meet his parents and congratulate them. It’s a delight to come across kids like Kyler, Devanshi and other kids with compassion. Kyler is not just urging children to volunteer, but he is urging all of us to volunteer. I can imagine him helping out, volunteering in the community and how a lack of volunteers might have urged him to write this letter. Early volunteering as Katie Robinson says in her article, is not the only way to help your child grow up to be selfless, caring and kind-hearted. But it can always help.

Do you know children who volunteer? Please share their stories; we would love to read them and spread message about their beautiful work!