Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• E.L. Recreation Department - Spartanum (Mr. Kiernan) - ELCAT Filming (Mr. Maki) - Powder Puff Game (Ms. Reed) - Sports Snack Shack - ELHS Sports Team Managers - Band (Mr. Kiernan) - National Honor Society Tutoring (Ms. Stark) - ELHS Awards Night (Ms. Petrie) - Key Club (Ms. Reed) - Many Hands Piano Recital (Mr. Maccarini)

• Local Schools - 4th of July Parade Banner Carriers (Mr. Maccarini) - Griffins Friends (Mr. Kelleher) - Boy Scouts - Lions Club - Help out neighbors in need - Youth sports coaching - Swim Meets - The Miracle League Buddy Program

You can make a difference to someone in need. Reach out to an organization that builds housing for low-income families, or supports communities after natural disasters. Soup kitchens need help serving food. Help out at a garden that grows food for the hungry – or start your own. Maybe start a drive to collect food and essentials for people in need. 

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Feeding America - No Kid Hungry - Habitat for Humanity - Open Pantry - Crop Hunger Walk - Meals On Wheels - United Way - Loaves & Fishes - Lorraines Soup Kitchen & Pantry - 

Here are some student led projects: 

• Sophia created “MontanaEats,” a smartphone application she spent months coding to give low-income people easy access to information about all of the food pantries, food banks and emergency assistance resources in Montana.

• Elijah works in his community to raise awareness of child abuse and improve the lives of foster children by promoting and hosting an annual Christmas party for children in foster care.

• Caleb hands out boxes of food, toiletries and warm garments to the homeless on the streets of Detroit each year during the Christmas season, and threw a back-to-school party that provided 800 children in need with backpacks stuffed with new school supplies.

• Zachary runs an organization that collects clothing and shoes for homeless teens and raises awareness of their situation. 

Consider volunteering to promote wellness or help people who are sick. Your local hospital may have ways for young people to lend a hand. You could raise awareness about healthy eating or donating blood. Many volunteers also raise funds to support hospitalized kids and to fight diseases.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Susan G. Komen - Alzheimer's Association - American Cancer Society - Children's Miracle Network - Jimmy Fund - Junior Jimmy Fundraiser - Out Of The Darkness Walk - Alex's Lemonade Stand - Ray's Of Hope - Baystate Hospital - Shriner's Hospital - Blood Donor 17+ (receive 10 hours)

Here are some student led projects: 

• Austin raised more than $34,000 to purchase 22 heart defibrillators, placed them in locations throughout his community, and trained people in those locations to use them.

• Rosie has collected more than 60,000 toys, books, stuffed animals, games and other donations for hospitalized kids, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help fund research for a cure for childhood cancer.

• Sarah persuaded more than 200 people to take part in the New England Walk to Defeat ALS last fall after her father was diagnosed with the fatal disease, raising $24,000 to help find a cure.

• Amal created a student organization that has provided more than a thousand first-aid kits to people in the U.S. and overseas who lack access to basic healthcare. 

Who better to help a student than another student? Or lend an ear to the elderly? Make a difference by speaking out against bullying or promoting inclusiveness at school. Get younger kids excited about STEM topics, or offer tutoring to peers who need help with something you’re good at. Or donate your time to an organization, or your church, that provides therapeutic or recreational activities for kids.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• DoSomething Youth Movements  - Pine Knoll C.I.T. - Meadowbrook School - Stomp Out Bullying - Girls Who Code - Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network  - Youth.gov - 7Cups.com - E.L. Council on Aging - Bluebird Estates - East Village Place - The Reserve at E.L. - Orchard Valley - Redstone - St. Michaels - First Baptist - St. Pauls - Bethany Assembly of God - JCC - St. Vincent DePaul via St. Michael's - The Miracle League Buddy Program

Here are some student led projects: 

• Maureen founded a series of weeklong technology camps to promote the idea that girls can succeed in STEM fields without sacrificing their femininity.

• Annie organized three college-prep workshops to help about a dozen students who had aged out of foster care navigate the complicated and often overwhelming college application process. 

• Keegan has been refurbishing old laptop computers for the past several years, and donating them to students and young adults who cannot afford to buy one. 

• Maricruz plays a leadership and advocacy role in several organizations to support LGBT+ youth and educate the public about the challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

From pitching in at a zoo, shelter or wildlife refuge to raising guide dogs for the visually impaired, animal lovers have many avenues for volunteering. Organizations that heighten awareness about endangered species are often driven by volunteer power, too.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Forest Park Zoo - Dakin Humane - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) - National Wildlife Federation - TJ O'Connor  - Humane Society - Whispering Horse - 

Here are some student led projects: 

• Alyssa is an enthusiastic wildlife advocate who gives presentations at schools, libraries, fairs, wildlife refuges and other venues about wolves and the importance of protecting them in the wild. 

• Mary raised money to procure a “pet disaster relief trailer” for her county to provide residents with a safe place to house their pets when tornadoes, floods and other natural disasters occur. 

• Tabitha has raised more than $115,000 through her nonprofit, “Pawsitive Pawsibilities,” to provide nine service dogs to people who otherwise could not afford one. 

• Nathan spearheaded a drive to remodel the poultry barn at his county's fairgrounds.

As a literacy volunteer, you’ll make a big impact — by reading to kids at a homeless shelter, to the elderly or the visually impaired. Organizing story hours at a library is a good idea, too; so are starting book drives, and helping young kids keep their reading skills sharp over the summer.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Public Library - Reading is Fundamental - Read for Literacy, Inc. - Little Free Library - American Library Association

Here are some student led projects: 

• Melissa leveraged her volunteer work with a national pet therapy organization to create a program that helps students at a local elementary school improve their literacy skills by having them read out loud to therapy dogs.

• Adam has collected more than a ton of books over the past two years and shipped them to rural Alaskan communities that lack ready access to reading materials.

• Annika collected 4,000 new and used books to start a "giving library" so that children and their families who visit a local medical center can get free books to take home and keep.

• Allyson promotes the love of reading and writing in young students through a club she organized that sends high school students to elementary school classrooms to assist with reading activities.

Put your environmental consciousness to work. Think of ways your school could be greener, and talk to your principal about putting your ideas to work. Or find creative ways to recycle shoes, tires and other things to keep them out of landfills. You could also teach kids about natural resources in your area and how to protect them.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Browns Farm - Peaked Mountain - Student Conservation Association - The Nature Conservancy  - Connecticut River Conservancy - Alliance For Climate Education - Sierra Club - 4H Club - Tree Planting Event - E.L. Earth Day Cleanup (April) - 

Here are some student led projects: 

• Lily volunteers with other students at her school to help keep Albuquerque beautiful by working on cleanup and restoration projects in the Rio Grande Bosque, a deciduous forest that winds 16 miles through her city. 

• Jonah led his 4-H club in raising money to purchase reusable shopping bags that local merchants can use to cut down on the number of plastic bags that end up in landfills.

• Emma led an effort at her school to promote recycling of bottles, cans, paper products and old T-shirts. 

• Bella educated her community about the harm that plastic bags do to oceans and sea life, and spearheaded the passage of a town ordinance banning the bags. 

Into the arts? Then lend a hand at a local theater or gallery. Perform by yourself or with friends at senior centers or hospitals. You can also teach your skills to other kids, or collect materials for cash-strapped arts programs.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Drama Studio - National Association for Music Education - American Alliance for Theater and Education - National Dance Education Organization - National Art Education Association - Irish Night - Festa Italia - Fresh Paint Springfield

Here are some student led projects: 

• Brooke is the co-founder and executive director of a free after-school arts program that has been offering weekly classes in musical theatre to elementary and middle level students in her school district for the past four years. 

• Malcolm founded a nonprofit organization that is helping hospitalized youth on four continents make and share art, to alleviate the fear and anxiety that kids often experience in the hospital. 

• Kahlil co-founded "Project SnapShot" to use his skills as a photographer to preserve holiday memories for children and families in need.

• Kayla has performed her own songs and shared her struggle with bullying at schools, after-school programs and community centers in numerous cities, imparting messages of kindness, hope and empowerment. 

Consider lending a hand to people with intellectual or physical disabilities. You can help with nearby Special Olympics events, or organize inclusive clubs or activities at school. Perhaps you can educate people about what it’s like to have autism, Down syndrome or other special needs.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Autism Speaks - American Council of the Blind - Special Olympics - Best Buddies / E Buddies - UNICO - Make a Wish - The Miracle League Buddy Program

Here are some student led projects: 

• Lindsey planned a “sensory friendly” movie presentation at a local theater for people with autism or other special needs, after learning that most people with these disabilities are denied this simple pleasure because they may not be able to sit still or stay quiet for an entire movie.

• Grayson raised money to provide seven children and young adults with disabilities with all-terrain power wheelchairs that allow them to safely navigate the great outdoors with their peers. 

• Paloma lobbied legislators, led rallies, gave speeches, created a website and generated publicity to help secure $1.25 million in state funding for kids her age with visual impairments.

• Cameron coaches Special Olympics athletes and, as public relations director for his local Special Olympics program, organizes fundraisers that have raised more than $64,000 over the past five years so that athletes can travel to and compete in sporting events free of charge.

You can play an important role in keeping your school and community safe. Consider raising awareness about preparing for emergencies and natural disasters. Or educate other students about topics like staying safe online, and the dangers of texting and driving.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Federal Emergency Management Agency - Ready.gov - Distraction.gov - Red Cross

Here are some student led projects: 

• Kennison has dedicated hundreds of hours to assisting people in emergency situations and other events as a member of the Edwardsville Fire Department Explorer Post.

• William launched a comprehensive campaign to raise awareness about the hazards of distracted driving and other aspects of road safety.

• Kellie raised more than $11,000 through a T-shirt fundraiser and donations to supply police cars with special anti-bleeding kits to increase police officers' odds of surviving a traumatic hemorrhaging wound.

• Orren arranged for a presentation on disaster preparedness at his school to educate students and their families on how to increase their chances of surviving a natural catastrophe.

Help our military personnel by assembling and sending personal care packages. Perform an act of kindness for the family of someone deployed overseas. Or you can honor those who served by visiting a veteran’s facility, or raising money to send veterans to see the national monuments erected in their honor.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• Veterans Day Ceremonies - Memorial Day Ceremonies - Disabled American Veterans - American Legion - Honor Flight - Operation Gratitude - Wounded Warrior

Here are some student led projects: 

• Jetta led more than 30 kids in her 4-H club and local middle school in making quilts to honor military veterans in her community. 

• Amelia launched an initiative with her sister to support wounded veterans by raising money and focusing attention on their sacrifices.

• Seamus designed and completed his own three-day triathlon last summer to provide scholarships for the spouses and children of fallen and disabled military personnel.

• Peter speaks to military veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and their spouses about his experiences growing up with a father who suffered from severe PTSD. 

You don’t have to go far from home to help people in need overseas. Raise money for organizations that help children around the world. Many young volunteers collect items like books, shoes and clothes for people living in poverty overseas. Or, if you can, consider going abroad to help with building schools or disaster recovery.

Here are some websites to get you started: 

• UNICEF - Rotary International - Doctors Without Borders - PoliticalCampaigns - E.L. Election Days - AmeriCorps - E.L. AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION - E.L. PLANNING COMMISSION - E.L. TRAILS COMMISSION

Town of East Longmeadow Boards & Commissions

• Board of Health, Broadband Committee, Community Preservation, Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Housing Authority, Local Emergency Planning, Planning Board, Public Works, Recreation Commission, Registrars of Voters, Zoning Board of Appeals

Here are some student led projects: 

• Praneeth created an all-in-one software product for a nonprofit benefiting rural villages in India, improving its ability to collect and manage donations, publicize projects and track income and expenditures. 

• Cierra has collected donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and packages of dental floss for impoverished families in underdeveloped Asia-Pacific countries through a campaign called “Spreading Smiles Across Miles.” 

• Christian has raised more than $50,000 from a landscape business he started as a seventh-grader and from private donations to build houses for destitute people in Haiti and sponsor 20 homeless children there.

• Jessica is a dedicated advocate for young sex-trafficking victims around the world, and last year led a team to Costa Rica to provide girls at a safe house with the skills to build a life beyond prostitution.