Parents, Kids & Community Seasons 2023 - Edition Five

How Parents Can Pitch In At Their Children’s Schools

Givingback to one’s community can take many forms. Some may give back by supporting the legislature to make communities more inclusive, while others may volunteer with their local fire departments. Parents of school-aged youngsters can typically find many opportunities to give back through their children’s schools. Parents who volunteer at their children’s schools often get a unique glimpse into their children’s life at school. Such parents may see how their children interact with educators and classmates and gain greater insight into the school community where kids spend so much of their time. Volunteering at school also can benefit kids, who may recognize the importance of education more readily if mom and/or dad are spending their free time on campus. That recognition can leave to improved performance in the classroom.

Parent-teacher associations can be great resources for parents who want to volunteer with their children’s schools. Each year, students graduate and move on to new schools or colleges, meaning schools are in new need of parent volunteers each school year. Though each school has its own unique needs, the following are some roles parent volunteers may be able to play at their children’s schools.

• Tutor

• Mentor

• IT support: Parents with significant experience in tech or information technology can offer to lend a hand or provide advice or insight in support of a school’s IT staff

• Organizer: Schools host many functions in a typical school year, and officials typically ask parents to pitch in so such events can be successful. For example, parents can help organize school fundraisers, dances, and holiday bazaars.

• Chaperone on field trips

• Assistant coach: Many schools pay

Kids Can Get Their Game On

Modernchildren have somewhat different ideas of what constitutes entertainment, especially when compared to youngsters from a generation or two ago. While it was once commonplace for kids to be out and about with their friends riding bikes and spending time in each other’s backyards — only returning home when the streetlights came on — modern youths spend lots of time at home and indoors on their devices.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids between the ages of eight and 18 now spend an average of 7.5 hours in front of a screen each day. That figure only accounts for recreational time and doesn’t include the hours kids spend on computers or tablets for educational purposes. In addition, social media is a large part of kids’ days. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry indicates 90 percent of teens between the ages of 13, and 17 have used social media, and 51 percent report visiting a social media site at least daily. Younger children also use social media, with a recent poll from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital saying 32 percent of parents of kids between the ages of seven and nine reported their children use social media apps.

A classic children’s game night might be just what the doctor ordered to draw kids away from screens and provide a healthy respite from the barrage of information coming their way through the internet. With these tips, a game night can be a successful way to help children engage socially in person.

Pick A Theme

Unite all elements of the game night by selecting a theme. For example, if you will be pulling out the classic game OperationTM, pre-purchase inexpensive lab coats or doctors’ scrubs for participants to wear. Serve foods shaped like various body parts (borrow from some Halloween ideas) and invite guests with

stipends to the head coaches of their athletic teams, but parents can serve as unpaid assistants or support staff during the season. For example, parents can volunteer to work as gameday staff, taking tickets at the gate or directing ticket holders where to park.

• Club official: Extracurricular clubs also can benefit from parents willing to work as volunteers. Parents can help students who want to start new clubs or serve as moderators or helpers in existing clubs.

• Speaker: High schools may host periodic career days throughout the school year to help students on the cusp of applying to college uncover potential career paths. Parents with significant professional experience in a given field can offer to speak to students on career days, sharing information about their careers and industries and answering any questions students may have.

• Administrative support: Parents can also pitch to help with behind-the-scenes administrative duties like letter-writing, grant proposals, and other projects that are vital in securing funding for school programs and other services.

an invitation that serves as a “Prescription for Fun.”

Choose A Good Time

Even though “game night” implies the gathering takes place in the evening, choose a time that works best for most. Perhaps meeting directly after school for snacks and play before dinner aligns better with everyone’s schedule. Parents can take turns hosting to give children something to look forward to once a week.

Shop Together

Bring the kids along to the store to select board games and other activities that appeal to them. Explain that the majority of game nights will be dedicated to non-electronic games. Parents can organize game night how they see fit, but working one video game night into the rotation each month can up the fun factor for kids.

Take It Outside

“Games” encompass a wide array of activities. Organize a pick-up whiffle ball game in the cul-de-sac or an after-dark manhunt game with flashlights (age permitting). Families with pools can rotate having kids over for pool games, which can include volleyball, diving games, or Marco Polo.

The Link Between Volunteering And Academic Performance

There are many reasons for parents to encourage children who express an interest in volunteering. Volunteering is a social activity that can help children develop their social and networking skills, and many parents credit volunteering with instilling a sense of perspective in their children that they might not have gained had they not been exposed to people from different backgrounds. Volunteering also has been linked to stronger academic performance. The Corporation for National and Community Service reports that students who indicate they’re doing better in school are more likely to be volunteers than students who report doing less well. The broadened exposure to people and places that students may otherwise not encounter without volunteering also can benefit them in the classroom, helping them more readily identify with cultures and societies they’re studying. College applicants with volunteering experience also may set themselves apart in the increasingly competitive application process. Though a 2019 Pew Research study reported that most schools admit more than two-thirds of their applicants, that figure is significantly lower at many of the more highly rated institutions in the United States. For example, Stanford University (4.3 percent) and Harvard University (4.9 percent) recently reported acceptance rates below 5 percent. Though volunteering alone won’t help applicants gain acceptance to such competitive institutions, it can serve as a strong résumé builder and be even more effective if it also produces the previously noted improvements in academic performance.

The Many Benefits Of Vocational Training

Earninga four-year degree is one path toward a rewarding career. However, that path is the only one available to aspiring professionals. Enrolling in a vocational program can provide students with the skills necessary to engage in highdemand and well-paying jobs.

Vocational school, often referred to as “trade school,” can be an advantageous route for many people who are looking for an alternative to college. In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics said a fouryear private college cost around $50,300 for a student living on campus, while a fouryear public college was roughly $24,300 annually. A 2018 poll from The Learning House, a skills training and coursework company, found 35 percent of students said tuition and other fees were their primary concerns when choosing college programs. Trade schools can cost three times less than other schooling, making them more palatable to young people concerned about the high costs of college.

Career and Technical Education programs number around 1,200 in the United States alone. Many students begin vocational career tracks in high school, according to American Education Services. Here are

some benefits of pursuing an education in the trades.

• Lower cost: According to NCES, trade schools cost significantly less than four-year institutions. Data from the U.S. Department of Education say programs may run between $3,600 to $16,000 per year. Most vocational programs last two years, meaning that students graduate with far less debt than they might accrue when pursuing a four-year college program.

• Individualized attention: Many trade

How Students Can Benefit From Study Abroad Programs Study

abroad program participation understandably dipped in recent years as the world confronted a global pandemic, during which many countries closed their borders to non-residents for a period of time. In fact, according to NAFSATM: Association of International Educators, the number of students from the United States studying abroad in the 202021 academic year declined by 91 percent from the year prior. Since then, the world has largely returned to normal, and that means tens of thousands of students are once again considering study abroad programs.

Participation in a study abroad program can be a life-changing experience for young students. As students and their families consider study abroad programs, they can consider these notable benefits of signing up to study overseas.

• Experience a foreign culture: The chance to experience foreign cultures firsthand compels many students to study abroad each year. Data from NAFSATM indicate that 44 percent of American study abroad students study in just five countries: Spain, Italy, the United

Kingdom, France, and Ireland. But study abroad programs are active in just about every corner of the globe. That means study abroad participants can experience foreign cultures similar to their own or go to school in countries with cultures vastly different from their own homeland.

• Enhance your career prospects: Study abroad programs can help students enhance their career prospects after graduation. NAFSATM notes that a 2014 survey found that nearly 40 percent of companies indicated they missed out on overseas business opportunities due to a lack of personnel capable of working abroad. Students who study abroad can stand out in crowded applicant pools, particularly among employers looking to expand their international operations.

• Build networks: Networking is perhaps more valuable to professionals than ever before. Students who enroll in study abroad programs may ultimately graduate with both domestic networks and international networks through their universities at home and abroad. Career placement offices at both schools

programs offer instruction in very intimate settings, with experienced practitioners serving as mentors and trainers. While each program is different, vocational training schools tend to have lower facultyto-student ratios than traditional colleges.

• Fewer admission requirements: Trade schools may not have the same stringent application and admissions processes as colleges. Course prerequisites and grade point average requirements also may not dictate trade school admissions policies.

• Direct, hands-on training: Unlike a traditional college that marries general education courses with those specific to a major, trade school programs focus only on skills and training relevant to each student’s chosen career path.

• Less time to complete schooling: More direct lessons means that students can complete their certifications or degrees in shorter times and enter the workforce much more quickly than their counterparts at traditional colleges and universities. Vocational training in trade schools is a viable option for students who want to spend less money and gain valuable skills they can utilize to earn a good living.

can help students connect with alumni and professionals. In addition, students can build relationships with professors and fellow students they meet while studying abroad, further expanding their professional and personal networks.

• Improve your earning potential: The Institute for the International Education of Students, also known as IES Abroad®, reports that its alumni earn an average of $6,000 more in starting salaries compared to recent college graduates in the United States. That’s a significant benefit for students on the cusp of graduating who will have to confront a rising cost of living that has made it as challenging as ever for young adults to establish their financial independence.

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