As we all know, to graduate from LS, we must do 15 hours of community service. But what should you do? If you’re not sure, there is a spreadsheet containing tons of different things you can do for community service. The activities listed range from food kitchens to animal shelters.

Junior Briana Niland shared with the Forum about her internship at the Open Table food pantry in Maynard for two weeks in the summer from late July to early August: “I really enjoyed working there because, unlike many other food pantries, Open Table does not force its patrons to prove that they are in need. Instead, Open Table serves everyone.” When asked about how she found out about it, she said, “I heard some of my friends who did it talk about it, and they said that they really liked it.” Briana recommends participating in this opportunity because of the incredible staff and environment, as well as the diversity of jobs, including everything from stocking shelves to working in the kitchen. 

Alex Taylor, a junior, has spent the past few months volunteering with the South Sudanese Enrichment for Families, a program dedicated to aiding the transition to towns like Lincoln for immigrants from South Sudan. “The program provides fabric to South Sudanese women, who sew them into napkins. We then sell these at local markets to raise money for these women’s education funds,” Alex stated. She has also worked with the Nosy Crow Publishing Company to collect unsold copies of books and donate them to SSEF, and is currently working with the Lincoln Public Library to set up reading buddies sessions between LS students and young children in SSEF. She stated that working with SSEF has been an amazing experience, and that over time, she has really been able to create a connection with the organization. She recognizes it as a great way to help out in the community, as well as complete the LSRHS community service requirements.