On Compulsory Voluntary Work

There are two organizations at our school generally recognized for their supposed 'outstanding' service to the community. The students within these organizations are lauded for their willingness to step outside of their comfort zone, sacrifice themselves and volunteer.

These organizations are Key Club, and National Honors Society. The former sounds stupid - I know - but is somewhat useful, and the latter is just as elitist as it sounds.

First, I would like to establish the theoretical goals for any organization falling under these criteria. It is supposed to be a volunteer, community service organization. By sheer repetition, this assumed goal would be best suited to a mass number of participants: more manpower = more service. Therefore, it can be concluded that a community service organization operates the strongest with more people.

Now the illogicality: both Key Club and NHS are organizations that one must apply to enter. Go figure, they both end up turning a number of applicants down every year. This goes directly against the goal stated in the previous paragraph by refusing the maximum number of workers and thereby theoretical output.

But wait, my dear reader, there is actually more slight of hand at work. A lack of participation in this VOLUNTEER organization can lead to the lack-ee being removed from the hierarchy post haste. This would not be a problem if it were not for the occult like behavior instilled in the organization's foundations - I'm looking at you NHS candle lighting ceremony - where simply being removed from the complex also includes a punishment. NHS for example, will vengefully call out to every college their reject has applied to and inform the admissions office of the supposed transgression that lack of participation is - unfortunately this would likely result in a complete tarnishing of reputation.

Follow the strand here: in order to be a part of the organization, one MUST complete their voluntary community service or suffer the consequences. Joining the organization is voluntary, but the work? An idiot would be able to see this is not voluntary at all; it is compulsory. And, by the goal set out initially, this imposes rationalized weakly-attempted spews to gain event credit, meaning the service is further weakened.

It makes me question... Why? Why do service organizations limit themselves via applications? How do they not see that such a practice equivocates a shot in the foot? More importantly, why do they hide behind the facade of "volunteer" long after they've broken the adjective.

Simply put, it is a matter of proclaiming the superiority of a select few whose applications had enough bells and whistles to bring some sort of notoriety to the group. Let's grow up. The world sucks enough as it is, and no one should be excluded from a concerted effort to make it better if they truly believe in it. By the same mark, no one should be forced into such a situation just because they need a signature - preventative of the boot-based greeting.

This all being said, I am part of both organizations that practice their "service" in these manners. I have no issues putting my time into extraneous things that I don't believe in, or believe are a waste of time.

Sadly, this probably detracts from the few projects a year that are genuinely worthwhile - I throw my hand in these situations with as great ferocity as leftovers allow. But alas, that is the system, and frankly: the system looks damn good on college apps.