(December 20, 2002) — You wave good-bye as all your friends leave to go to In-n-out. They tease you for attending your community service rather than going to eat with them. But deep inside, you know what you’re doing is right. Many students begin by doing community service for the sole purpose of getting into a good college, but while they meet this college requirement, students soon learn the value of helping others and many continue their service far after they have completed the requirement for the good feeling. Last year, number of students at Clark completed over one hundred hours. Community service is a great learning experience for students to have. It allows them to go out into the public and focus on their interests. While doing this, they learn many useful lessons, including how to work well with others, as well as how to be independent. It also teaches them how to be responsible individuals. It keeps students occupied and away from participating in the wrong activities. According to Search Institute statistics, students who volunteer for one hour a week are 50% less likely to abuse drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or engage in destructive behavior. Community service also allows students to receive real world experience that is otherwise not given to them in any class. It teaches them how to get out into the world and makes them well rounded individuals because of the different tasks that they are expected to complete. This is an important experience for all students to have, because at this moment of their life most are very sheltered and adults make many of their decisions. However, after high school, students are going to be seeking jobs, and having previous experiences can give them the edge that they need in the competitive world that we live in. According to the national service-learning evaluation, students who engage in service activities are committed in their service now and later in life. While it might seem that students just pick the easiest job for selfish motivations, many students choose the harder path to follow. This shows that students really care about the job they pick. They have a wide variety of options, ranging from the easy tasks such as helping teachers and working on floats in the Rose Parade, to the more challenging tasks including volunteering at convalescent homes or hospitals. Many students choose the harder options because they find them to be more unique and meaningful. Students look for community service opportunities that might help them in their future careers. The service helps students decide whether the field that they always thought fit for them, was really the ideal job. For others who do not know what they want to be, it helps them decide what they are interested in. It allows students to see first hand what the particular job entails. While some argue that community service is only done for college, in reality, students gain a lot from the service, and it is a good experience for them to have.