Many high school students with the means to do so travel to far-flung international locations to serve people in need. I’m sure some of those kids are driven by a genuine desire to help. But there are also plenty who are being driven by what they hope will be an impressive listing on their college application, or even a compelling essay.
If you have a desire to serve, do it, no matter where you decide to go. But please don’t get the impression that you have to travel halfway around the word to 1) make a difference, or 2) make colleges take notice.
Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in his neighborhood, South Central Los Angeles—a community he calls a “food desert” for its readily available fast food but scarcity of fresh fruits and vegetables. His 11-minute TED Talk is well worth watching, and it’s a great reminder of just how much of a difference you can make by acting locally.
Finley isn’t a high school student. But if an enterprising high school student had done what Finley has done, which includes delivering a TED Talk that’s been viewed millions of times, there would be plenty of colleges tripping over themselves to admit that kid.
Think globally, sure. But don’t forget that there’s plenty of difference to be made by acting locally.