Extracurricular Activities
Extracurriculars show your interests.
Colleges want students who are going to make a difference and who are passionate about a variety of subjects. Colleges look for more depth than breadth. You don’t have to feel like you have to do it all, but you do want to show colleges that you have focused passions with a sense of commitment and purpose. Your resume will record many of the activities to highlight key areas.
What should you include you might ask? You want to show colleges that you are open to learning new skills and working with others and that you have clear interests and that you are well-rounded. Consider the following areas:
Leadership activities: Any leadership activity is something you want to include on a resume because it shows that you take initiative. Whether it is related to sports, work, volunteer work, student organization, or non-profit organization, include any aspect where you showed leadership.
Community Service: Helping others shows your humanity and caring nature and your interest in impacting your community in a meaningful way. See opportunities below.
Debate: Clubs that include a component of debate are noteworthy to include on a resume since it shows that you are an effective communicator and are capable of argumentative, critical thinking.
Internships: During the summer, you may want to see if you can get an internship in a field of interest. If you are interested in web design, you may want to see if there are any local business who need help. If you are interested in medicine, see if you could shadow a doctor at a clinic or in a lab.
Sports: Playing a team sport shows commitment, dedication, and cooperation. Include any sports on your resume and any awards or championships.
Work Experience: Work experience shows responsibility and cooperation with others.
Clubs: Include any club where you were able to learn something or expand on skills. You will want to show colleges that you like to work with others and learn new skills. It can also show that you are open to new experiences.
Technology: If you have learned skills such as computer programming or web design or graphic design, you can include that on your resume as well.
Join an existing Meridian Extracurricular Club
See what clubs Meridian offers to see if there is something that appeals to you.
Meridian Extracurricular Activities
Start your own club.
If you don't see what interests you and are passionate about a topic, start your own club and contact one of your administrators about the process at school.
Look at local and national organizations that offer ways to get involved.
See Just Serve to see national and local opportunities.
Check out Volunteer Match to get some ideas of local opportunities or Community Impact's website of local Austin volunteer opportunities.
Do Something. org has some ideas as well as College Transitions.
Yelp has a page for volunteer opportunities for teens in Austin.
Austin Top 50 --ideas for volunteering for teens.
Possible Areas of Interest for Volunteering and Employment
Working with Children
Working with People with Disabilities
Camp for All (disabilities camp)
Global Outreach
TED Talk Translators (for bilingual students)
Literacy
Food Pantry & Community Services
Reveal Resource Center: “Reveal Resource Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) food pantry and clothes closet serving 375 to 425 low-to-moderate income families weekly. This represents 1,300 to 1,500 people. Each week RRC distributes 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of food with the help of 80 to 150 volunteer ‘servants’”. https://revealresourcecenter.com/volunteer/
Round Rock Area Service Center:
“A Texas non-profit corporation, also known as the Serving Center, which carries out a community-wide mission of churches, other organizations, and individuals serving human needs in the City of Round Rock and surrounding areas. We are here to serve those in need in our community”. https://www.rrasc.org/
Construction
Environmental
Christmas Giving
Operation Blue Santa:
“The Round Rock Police Department is gearing up for its 43rd annual Blue Santa Christmas drive. Operation Blue Santa is a non-profit program organized by volunteers and employees of the Round Rock Police and Fire Department. Since 1978 Operation Blue Santa has delivered toys and food to thousands of families in need so that we may continue to advance the cause of helping those that are less fortunate along with, helping the Round Rock Community celebrate the magic of the holiday season”.
Round Rock: https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/police/community-programs/round-rock-operation-blue-santa/
Pflugerville: https://police.pflugervilletx.gov/community-programs/blue-santa
Georgetown: https://bluesanta.georgetown.org
Cedar Park: http://www.cedarparktexas.gov/departments/police-department/blue-santa-program
Leander:http://www.leandertx.gov/police/page/blue-santa-program
Animals
ASPCA (animals)
Austin Pets Alive (“Austin Pets Alive! is not your average animal shelter. We pioneer innovative lifesaving programs designed to save the animals most at risk of euthanasia”.)
ROCK - Equine-Assisted Activities & Therapies: ROCK, Ride On Center for Kids (ROCK) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides equine-assisted services to children, adults, and veterans with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges. ROCK’s participants see improvements in most aspects of their lives — from muscle tone, strength, flexibility, and balance to cognitive, behavioral, communication, and emotional improvements. https://rockride.org/
Safe in Austin rescue ranch: “A sanctuary that rescues animals from severe abuse or neglect”. https://www.safeinaustin.org/volunteer
Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter: “The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is the only shelter solely devoted to the lost and abandoned animals of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Hutto, Leander, and Williamson County. http://pets.wilco.org/
Entrepreneurship
Volunteering for a City
HELP (The mission of Horse Empowered Learning Programs (HELP) is to help those with physical, emotional, and cognitive challenges grow in strength and independence through personalized activities in partnership with the horse."