When people hear the word volunteering, they often think of it as something extra, something you only do if you have time or need service hours. But volunteering should not be optional. Teenagers should be required to volunteer because it teaches life lessons that cannot truly be learned anywhere else.

One of the most important lessons volunteering teaches is how to give back. Many teens are understandably focused on grades, sports, social media, friends and their futures. Volunteering shifts that focus outward. Whether it is helping at a food pantry, cleaning parks or highways, tutoring younger students or assisting older adults, volunteering shows teens that small actions can have a real impact. It builds empathy and reminds people that the world does not revolve around one individual.

Volunteering also teaches gratitude. It is easy to take everyday comforts for granted, such as having enough food, access to education or a safe place to sleep. I have volunteered at a local church building beds for children in the community who do not have one. I never had to worry about sleeping without a bed, so seeing that reality up close was eye-opening. Helping families in my own town made me appreciate what I already had instead of focusing on what I wanted. Gratitude grows through experience, not lectures, and volunteering provides that experience.

Some people argue that volunteering should be a personal choice and not required. While that perspective makes sense, many people might never try volunteering unless they are encouraged or required to do so. Once they start, many discover they enjoy it and continue volunteering on their own. Sometimes people just need a push to find something meaningful.

Requiring volunteer work is not about punishment or checking a box. It is about shaping kinder, more aware and grateful individuals. If schools are meant to prepare students for the real world, then teaching the importance of giving back should be part of that preparation.