This month

Volunteerism

• Feature — Five tips for volunteering
• Web quest — It's your turn to get involved
• Stay on track — A checklist of "to-dos"
• Take notice — Important dates
• All about AIEmail — Subscribe, suggest, review

Feature

Five tips for volunteering

Volunteering for a cause you believe in provides the satisfaction of knowing you've done your part to make the world a better place. Volunteering can open many doors for you. It will help you develop skills, gain work experience, develop knowledge of different career settings, create a network for job finding, discover your hidden strengths and talents, gain self-confidence, find references, and build a sense of independence. Also, volunteering is a terrific way to meet people with similar interests and values.

Here are five things to consider when volunteering:

1. Do your research.
   Explore the mission and goals of each group you are considering. Visit their Web sites and talk to their members. Get an idea of future activities from the group's yearly priorities.
2. Match your skills to opportunities.
   Where do your skills and talents lie? If you know how to do things better, faster, and more efficiently, volunteer for positions where you can use and teach these skills.
3. Learn something new.
   Volunteering can be a learning experience. If you'd like to learn new things, find an opportunity that will challenge you to develop new skills and capabilities.
4. Budget your time wisely.
   Start slowly when making volunteer commitments. You don't want to burn yourself out, frustrate others, and end up with a negative experience.
5. Create your own opportunity.
   Every group is always seeking new ideas to complete projects and accomplish goals. Do you have ideas about how to get things done right? Write a one-page outline about what you can do and how you can do it — and then go do it.

Back to top

Web quest

It's your turn to get involved

Start getting involved in your community. Refer to the Web to learn about everything from volunteering and donating money to speaking out on issues you care about.

• Youth Volunteer Network
  At the Youth Volunteer Network you can find out how an online community of young people — from all over the world — works together to raise awareness of certain issues, take action on issues that matter to them, and make a difference in the lives of people everywhere.
  www.networkforgood.youthnoise.com
• VolunteerMatch
  VolunteerMatch is an online service that helps interested volunteers get involved with community service organizations throughout the United States. Simply enter your ZIP code to quickly find local volunteer opportunities matching individual interests and schedules.
  www.volunteermatch.org
• Students in Service to America
  President George W. Bush has called on all Americans to commit at least 4,000 hours — the equivalent of two years over the course of their lives — to the service of others. By serving something greater than themselves, people can learn about their rich democratic traditions as Americans, help meet vital community needs, and become responsible and engaged citizens.
  www.studentsinservicetoamerica.org

Back to top

Stay on track

Checklist for this week

For freshmen and sophomores

Hints for doing well on semester exams:

• Plan to get a good night's rest.
• Eat a good breakfast.
• Listen carefully to your teacher's instructions before you begin.
• Read all directions and questions carefully. If you do not understand the directions, ask for help. An explanation of the instructions can help.
• Budget your time carefully.
• Answer the questions you know first, and answer the sections of the test that are worth the most points first.
• On multiple choice questions, try figuring out the answer before you look at the choices.
• On essay questions, make sure you answer the question being asked. Use good supporting statements. Quality is more important than quantity.

For juniors

• Plan your spring calendar for all the college entrance testing you will need to complete. You can get these important dates from your counselor.
• Check your school calendar for spring holidays and plan to visit some of the colleges you are considering applying to with your parents.
• Check out a college listings book from your school library or purchase one from a bookstore.
• Read carefully through any literature you may receive from colleges.
• Consider attending a summer pre-college program or look into getting at least a part-time job.
• Plan your schedule for next semester to allow for plenty of studying time. If you plan to take any advanced placement courses or tests, remember that April and early May are critical study months.

For seniors

• Make sure you are on track to complete all the required courses to graduate.
• Verify that all your college applications are in the mail or almost ready to go in the mail.
• Provide all the necessary forms, instructions, and deadlines to the appropriate people (including teachers, counselors, and others) for your college applications.
• Order all of the transcripts you will need.
• Complete all of the necessary college entrance tests.
• If applying for financial aid, make sure you have filed the CSS PROFILE if it is required by the colleges you plan to apply to.
• Make sure you have received the FAFSA from your high school counselor.
• Review the scholarship postings at your high school regularly.

For parents

Your teen may be facing several important academic events this week. Here are a few suggestions:

• Allow study groups to meet at your home.
• Offer your assistance to review test materials or other school work.
• Provide regular study breaks.
• Provide good meals and make sure your teen does not skip breakfast.
• Celebrate with your teen when the academic activities conclude this week.

Back to top

Take notice

Important dates

Mark down these dates.

To get more information on the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, access useful tools, or register, visit the College Board's Web Site(www.collegeboard.com) or call (609) 771-7600.

To get more information on the ACT, access useful tools, or register, visit the ACT Web Site (www.act.org) or call (319) 337-1270.

Back to top

All about AIEmail

Subscribe, suggest, review

• To change your e-mail address, change the format in which you receive AIEmail, or cancel your subscription, please visit the AIEmail subscription area (www.AIE.org/AIEmail/subscribe.cfm).
• If you have problems stopping your subscription or have comments about AIEmail, please send a message to webmaster@tgslc.org.
• Visit the AIEmail Archive (www.AIE.org/AIEmail/archive.cfm) for past issues.

Bookmark & Share:

AIE is a free public service of TG.
©2008 Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (www.tgslc.org)