Summer is here, but that does not mean the all the work is done. Staying involved in your community is important all year long and is crucial to staying on track for the coming school year. Here are some great ways to stay involved, get ahead, and succeed this summer!

Prepare:

Even though Summer is underway, the school year is approaching quickly. Here are a few tips to keep you engaged and ready for the new school year.

• Get organized! Organize your room, backpack, or even planner. Staying organized over the summer can help with time management and make the first week of school seem a little less daunting. 
• Read! Do your summer reading. Reading is a great way to stay engaged mentally. Even reading just 30 minutes a day can improve your social connections and intelligence. 
• Reach out to your counselor! Connecting with your counselor prior to the start of the school year can help you to better understand your class schedule and expectations. This is especially important if you are starting at a new school. It is also a great way to build connections!

Volunteer: 

Want to make an impact on your community this summer? A great way to make an impact on your community and stay involved is through volunteering. Here are 5 great organizations that offer volunteer opportunities for teens. 

• American Red Cross: The American Red Cross helps to provide disaster relief, blood donations and more!
• Meals on Wheels: Finally old enough to drive? Jump in the car and join Meals on Wheels deliver meals to seniors near you.
• Habitat for Humanity: Help build your community through construction, housing advocacy and more!
• The Humane Society or local animal shelter: Love animals? Volunteer at your local Humane Society or shelter and help take care of animals and find them their fur-ever homes. 
• Key Club: Key Club is the oldest service program for high schoolers and offers tons of volunteering and outreach opportunities. 

Check out dosomething.org and volunteermatch.org for thousands of other great volunteer opportunities across the United States and beyond!

Stay active:

Staying active is important all year round, but especially during the summer when we are less likely to be participating in gym class or school sports. Summer is a great time to do activities you may not get to do during other times of the year due to weather or your schedule, so get outside, enjoy the weather, and do fun activities, like hike or swim. Also, Summer is a great time to prepare your body physically, especially if you are looking to make your school’s sports team in the fall.

School’s out, but that does not mean your focus should be too. Try using these helpful tips to find opportunities to stay engaged and prepare for the new school year. 

This post was written by Matthew, an Intern at Immunize Nevada.

References:

https://baos.pub/8-life-changing-benefits-of-reading-30-minutes-a-day-fa95ab1efdea

https://teens.lovetoknow.com/back-school-tips-high-school-students

https://www.dosomething.org/us/articles/volunteer-opportunities-for-teens