Austin High School Participates In Multi-State Poll
Students at David Crockett High School were among 2,000 students in 21 states who, in the spring of 1997, participated in a poll which asked them to rank pre-selected options as more or less desirable exchanges for volunteer services. Money was not an option. Detailed results and an analysis of that poll may be viewed on the home page of the Harry Singer Foundation, the poll's sponsor, at www.singerfoundation.org/main/announcements/polls. For printed copies, call the Foundation office in Carmel, California 408-625-4223.
After years of working with high school students across the nation, the Harry Singer Foundation was convinced that their energy and goodwill was an untapped resource. "Many adults did not believe us when we suggested that the oldest and youngest generations, instead of being problems, were the solution to many of our social ills. So we decided the best way to persuade the skeptics was to have these groups speak for themselves." said Margaret Bohannon-Kaplan, director of the national 501(c) 3 Harry Singer Foundation. "We reasoned that polling young people and retired people would determine (1)the amount of time they might be willing to volunteer, (2) their experience (already acquired abilities), (3) their eagerness to learn (or teach), (4) the return expected and (5) the incentives and disincentives, as they view them.
"When we went back and analyzed what students told us, using their own words, we noted a discrepancy between those comments and the answers that required them to prioritize pre-selected choices," said Director Bohannon-Kaplan. "The most popular handwritten trade suggestion was a desire for coupons for free or discounted merchandise, activities or services. Some form of recognition was a clear second choice followed by the intangibles such as a good feeling, desire to make a difference and a variety of altruistic declarations. Sharing fourth place were things to upgrade schools, scholarships and things that benefit the community at large. Teen hang-outs, school credit, a car or some form of transportation and group celebrations came in fifth.
"When students were prompted to mark pre-selected choices, coupons, the number one write-in, dropped to the fourth spot, trailing apprenticeships, class credits and mentors. On the Foundation web site, the write in comments are divided into 21 categories. Recognition, second out of the 21 write-in categories, was a clear loser when given as a pre-selected option. Visit our web site to see how the answers of David Crockett students compared to the 21 state average and to each of the other 33 schools."
Atypical trades suggested by David Crockett students
"Some kind of small tax cut per amount of time working to help."
"Certificate of recommendation, a smile from the people I helped, and if they were little kids, I'd want a hug."
"To be taken out for lunch."
"A scholarship for my mother to go back to school."
"Opportunity to help in other areas again."
""One thing that would be acceptable to me would be like every time we did something for the community we would get points for college and after so many points you could get like a free class in college."
"Clear No Grades off of report cards of those students who were passing anyway."
"Free paper and pens, open lunch campus and longer lunch (about an hour)."
"I think that I wouldn't want anything else; just to have more people participating."
"I would like to be given worthy project to work on."
"People would be nice to me; I would feel good about myself; I would be well-known and respected."
"I would like to be recognized for my work."
"Free homework pages."
"An honest, caring, good-looking boyfriend."
"A button, pin or key chain with something like I make a difference written on it."
Crockett students comment on personal volunteer experiences
"I volunteer at the hospital two hours a week."
"I am in a jazz choir."
"I tutor during lunch."
"I participate in campus clean-ups."
"I'm in the PAL program at our school. We are mentors to elementary kids. We see three kids a week and help them with school, talk to them about any problems and we're just their friend."
"Special Olympics practice."
"I intern at the Travis County Sheriff's Office to gain experience and knowledge in the field of law enforcement."
"Nursing home visits, tutoring, election campaigns, visiting children at schools, building housing for people without money" (This student volunteers 8 hours/week!)
"Habitat for Humanity and Meals On Wheels"
"Random Acts of Kindness Club"
Many students mentioned volunteering through their church, according to Bohannon-Kaplan.
Bohannon-Kaplan explained the reasoning behind the polls: "The poll is the first
step in launching Another Way, a nationwide project which overcomes obstacles and
provides incentive for volunteers of all ages while giving donors more social benefit for
their dollars. Polling the residents in neighborhoods determines the most pressing social
problems and suggests reality-based solutions. Compiling the wish lists of operating
public and private nonprofits enables these organizations to focus more fully on their
missions by taking advantage of the previously untapped community resources uncovered by
the earlier polling. Using the information obtained from these school-community-based
learning exercises, enables individual and institutional grant makers to target their
social investments so that the community receives more benefit. Another Way is not
a program; it is a coordination and communication system using the latest
technology."