Community Service: The BenefitsVolunteering: The Great Experience No One Can Afford to Lose. Opponents say mandatory community service can have several negative effects on students. “Community service hours are impressive additions to college applications and can provide a student with a great sense of accomplishment; however, mandatory hours will have many negative consequences” (Cydney Hayes, 2012). Many students barely pass the regular school curriculum, and opponents say adding an extra burden of mandatory service hours will discourage teens from even wanting to graduate. Additionally, compulsory service is usually imposed by a court as punishment for offenders. “In a small number of cases, the justice system requires community service as reparation for delinquent offenses” (Planty and Bozick, 2006). Contrary to this opposing view, helping others is the best feeling one can have. What is a volunteer? Volunteer: someone who works without being paid to do so (Merriam, Webster). The act of volunteering gives people a sense of responsibility and makes them feel needed and useful to society in some way. Students should be required to give back to their community through acts of community service. This must be considered from the perspective of refunding their dues to the community, after all, the education of these students is free and it is the community that pays for it. Community service should be a mandatory requirement for high school graduation because it builds character, limits the rate of teenage delinquency, and paves the way to a better future as an individual. Performing community service through volunteering has many positive effects on the community. Served...... middle of paper ...... service, adolescents can also be connected to people of higher power in their community, which can be of great benefit to them now and in the future. Mandating community service for high school graduation was the best idea anyone could come up with. This is a very useful, promising and beneficial experience that every teenager should want to participate in. Volunteering gives people a sense of fulfillment and the joy of knowing that so many people need help and being able to be that person who provides those services makes us a better person. Community service should not be a burden on a teenager, but a special gift given to the community by a special person. Community service should be a mandatory requirement for high school graduation because it builds character, limits the rate of teenage delinquency, and paves the way to a better future as an individual..