Students at Mira Costa High School are starting to share new ideas for school policies. One idea is to require community service hours for all students.
Many schools across the U.S. already do this. Now, Mira Costa is thinking about doing the same. Helping out at a retirement home or food drive may seem small, but it teaches students to care and give back.
These service hours could also replace detention. With the stricter attendance policy, more students are getting detention for being late. Instead of sitting in a room, students could spend that time helping the community.
Adding community service as an alternative to detention could be a positive change. Instead of students sitting in a room after school doing nothing, they could be doing something useful for the community. For example, students could volunteer at a food bank, help clean up parks or beaches, or assist teachers with organizing materials after school. These activities still hold students accountable, but in a more meaningful way. They also teach responsibility, time management, and empathy.
“I think that having to do community service instead of detention would be so much more beneficial,” sophomore Brynn Barry said, “Because I’d rather spend my time helping people than sitting in a room for an hour.”
Another benefit of requiring community service hours is that it gives students real-world experiences. Some students may not have had the chance to volunteer before. By making it part of the school experience, they’re helping students learn about teamwork, leadership, and giving back. Colleges also look for students who are involved in their community, so these hours can help with college applications too.
“I used to do community service hours for my middle school,” sophomore Lily Afify said, “But since then, I haven’t really had motivation to keep doing it, but if it’s required, I’d start loving it again.”
Some students might think they’re too busy, but service hours don’t have to be a burden. The school could allow students to spread the hours out over a full school year, or even over their four years at Costa. That way, students could choose times that work best for them and pick causes they actually care about.
The school could also offer lists of approved service opportunities and even host on-campus events that count as service. For example, organizing a school supply drive, helping out at a school event like Mental Health Week, or working at a local shelter on a weekend. This makes it easier for students to find something that fits their schedule and interests.
Another important reason to consider this policy is that it can help build stronger connections between the school and the local community. When students go out and volunteer, they represent Mira Costa. Local organizations will begin to see students as helpful and involved, which can lead to more partnerships and support for school events or programs.
It can also help students find future career interests. For example, a student who volunteers at a hospital might discover they’re interested in healthcare. Another who helps run a food drive might realize they enjoy organizing events or working in nonprofit organizations. Community service can open doors to new passions and help students discover what they enjoy doing outside the classroom.
This policy could even inspire students to continue volunteering after they graduate. If students start building good habits now, they’re more likely to carry them into adulthood. That means more kind, caring people which this world so desperately needs.
In the end, adding community service as a requirement would help students grow as people and connect more with their community. It’s not about punishing students, it’s about giving them a chance to do something that matters. It also gives a more constructive option for those who would otherwise be stuck in detention.
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