Should You Have to Do Community Service?

Handing out groceries at a food pantry. Taking care of dogs at an animal shelter. Organizing a coat drive for children in need. The holiday season often inspires people to give back and volunteer. But for many teens, community service isn’t just a seasonal activity.

Many middle and high schools require students to complete a certain number of hours of unpaid work during the school year to help their communities. And some clubs and organizations, like the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), also have volunteering requirements.

Why is there so much emphasis on students giving back? Many people say serving the community benefits teens by helping them to become more compassionate and responsible citizens. But others argue that volunteering, by definition, is something that should be done by choice. They say its benefits are lost when students are forced to take part, especially since so many teens are already overscheduled.

What do you think? Read both sides of the debate, then decide for yourself.

Many people say students should be required to volunteer because help is greatly needed in communities across the country. Food banks and other nonprofits often rely heavily on volunteers. Yet less than 30 percent of U.S. adults donated their time in 2025, according to SignUpGenius, an online platform for coordinating volunteers. Supporters say mandatory community service helps fill that gap by pushing all students to take part. “I feel like most people wouldn’t think about doing it otherwise,” says Dheeraj Godavarthi, a ninth-grader from New Jersey.

Other people argue that volunteering teaches skills every teen should learn, such as teamwork and communication. Megan Marynowski, an eighth-grader from Illinois, earned some of her NJHS service hours by helping at a basketball camp. “You learn how to be responsible and learn how to do new things,” she explains.

Plus, studies show volunteering can improve your well-being. “It makes you feel good,” says Luke LoPinto, a ninth-grader from New York. His school requires 10 hours of service. “If schools require community service hours, every student will have the chance to experience that feeling.”

Critics of community service requirements argue that students often don’t have time for hours of volunteer work. Many teens already juggle school, homework, jobs, sports, and clubs. Adding mandatory service may shortchange those other activities, says Iris Liao, a tenth-grader from California. “It only adds unnecessary pressure and stress to teens’ already packed lives,” she says.

Many people point out that requiring service hours can backfire. What should be an uplifting experience can turn into a dreaded chore, says Cam Ruelas, an eighth-grader from Ohio who helps at church and in her neighborhood by choice. If you are forced to volunteer, she adds, “the person you’re helping might feel bad because they know you don’t really want to do it.”

Researchers have also found that young people who are made to volunteer are less likely to perform community service as adults. Schools should just encourage students to participate in service opportunities instead, suggests Noel Paul. The eighth-grader from Connecticut does volunteer work with senior citizens through his church’s youth group. “Helping other people is always a good thing,” he explains. “But it should not be required.”