Participating in community service can feel extremely rewarding and make a difference in the lives of others. Some high school students, seeing the problems around them, set it upon themselves to help their community by contributing to a nonprofit organization. Through hard work and dedication, being part of a nonprofit organization can bring many benefits.
“It’s especially fulfilling to know that my efforts are making a difference,” Uma Shekhang said.
Shekhang is sophomore at Berkeley High School, and a chapter president for the nonprofit organization, Students for a Free Tibet. The organization is focused on advocating and raising awareness of injustices taking place in Tibet. “Tibetan students are being sent to boarding schools, away from their families and forced to speak Mandarin as their primary language,” Shekhang said, “My motivation for helping Students for a Free Tibet comes from a deep desire to preserve Tibetan culture and stand against the forced assimilation taking place in Tibet.”
As chapter president, Shekhang organizes weekly meetings at BHS, as well as attends monthly meetings for the entire international organization to discuss different topics related to advocating for Tibet. An important aspect of her role is keeping up to date on all the current news surrounding Tibet, in order to be prepared to speak out and guide others. “Being part of Students for (a Free) Tibet offers the fulfilling experience (of) fighting alongside a community dedicated to advocating for a positive change,” Shekhang said.
A beneficial aspect of building a nonprofit organization is the connections one makes with others through involvement in the organization. “It’s been great to build this nonprofit, to feel part of a community. I’ve met some great people along the way,” Jack Mackey-Williams, a BHS senior, said. In the summer of 2022, Mackey-Williams, noticing the problem of low financial literacy among youth, co-founded the nonprofit organization, FLY to the World Youth. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to teaching youth how to responsibly manage resources and money by encouraging the teachings of financial literacy. Since 2022, FLY to the World Youth has taught over 500 students ranging from upper elementary to high school students.
An added bonus of being part of or founding a nonprofit organization is that the experience will convey a high school student’s passion and values on college applications. “It’s a good thing to show that you’re productive and interactive with your community,” Alex Eraso, a BHS graduate, said. Eraso is no stranger to nonprofit organizations. During his sophomore year at BHS, Eraso and a group of his friends created a nonprofit called Bayrise, which is devoted to teaching underprivileged youth and helping the homeless. Many high school students start their own nonprofit organizations in an effort to boost their chances of getting accepted into colleges. However, creating a truly meaningful and genuine nonprofit organization that creates a notable impact takes time and hard work. “You can sort of see through (a fake nonprofit). The admissions officers can tell — they see so many of these, (and) they can see with the metrics and data that you give, how believable it is,” Eraso said.
Mackey-Williams discussed his opinion on the issue. “I feel like it’s selfish to just think about your own college applications instead of thinking of how you can support the community and make your area a better place,” Mackey-Williams said.
Building an impactful nonprofit organization, in high school and beyond, requires a commitment of great time and effort. Another needed quality is passion. “We’re really addressing a need in the community,” Mackey-Williams said.