Embodying all of the characteristics of the graduate profile may seem like an unattainable goal, but for many students, working for justice in the community and being well-rounded are their extracurricular activities. The National Charity League (NCL) and the Young Men’s Service League (YMSL) give students the opportunity to volunteer philanthropically with their mothers and bond with their peers and family while serving and impacting their communities and striving to represent the ideal school graduate.

Being a part of NCL and YMSL allows members to bond with their families and become involved with their community. Because these service leagues are organized by parents, volunteer time and meetings are structured.

“I’ve been in YMSL since freshman year,” senior Noah Embry said. “It’s a group of high school guys who have been separated into their grades, and we do service projects and community service together, with monthly meetings to discuss what we have accomplished.”

Chapters in both YMSL and NCL have monthly meetings to assess what has and what needs to be done, while also creating a fun event for members.

“We have monthly meetings that you’re required to go to,” sophomore Emma Lescher said. “Sometimes though we’ll do something fun like do yoga, or have a speaker, or have pizza or cake. We get together and log what we did at the meeting, like when it started and when it finished, what we discussed, and what events we’re going to do that month.”

In addition, these charity leagues can help with college admissions.

“Colleges typically value the type of volunteer/humanitarian work that organizations like NCL and YSML do,” college counselor Addison Snyder said. “However, it is more about the volunteer work than the specific name of the organization. What colleges like about NCL and other organizations similar to them is the longevity of involvement and the fact that students are doing humanitarian work that gives back to their communities. The combination of longevity and volunteerism is very attractive in the college admissions process.”

Being in one of these charity leagues doesn’t just help with service hours and college admissions, but also provides members with experiences and people skills that other students may not get.

“Being in YMSL has taught me to how to do service work and work with other people who I don’t always know,” Embry said. “I think that that will really help me in the future.”