News
Guides and stories
Written for New Jersey high school students, parents, and counselors.
May 20, 2026
How to Write About Volunteering on the Common App
The Common App gives you 150 characters to describe your service. How to use them, with before and after examples from real activity entries.
May 13, 2026
9 Mistakes That Cost Students Their Volunteer Hours
The paperwork and planning errors that get service hours rejected, and how to avoid every one of them before your senior year deadline.
May 6, 2026
How to Volunteer in North Jersey Without a Car
Transit-accessible volunteering for New Jersey high school students who cannot drive, plus how to filter listings for transportation before you apply.
April 29, 2026
How to Start Your Own Volunteer Project When Nothing Near You Fits
A practical 7 step process for building a service project as a high school student, including how to find a sponsor organization and get your hours verified.
April 22, 2026
Is the President's Volunteer Service Award Still Available in 2026?
The PVSA has been on pause since May 2025. What that means for students mid-way through hours, and what recognition to pursue instead.
April 15, 2026
Passaic County Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students
Where high school students in Paterson, Clifton, Wayne, Passaic, and the rest of the county can find volunteer roles, with age minimums and how to apply.
April 8, 2026
Hudson County Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students
Volunteer roles for teens in Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Union City, and North Bergen, including age minimums, transit access, and how to get hours verified.
April 1, 2026
Do You Need Working Papers to Volunteer in New Jersey?
New Jersey does not require working papers for unpaid volunteer work. The actual rule, the one exception, and what organizations will ask you for instead.
December 31, 2025
What volunteering taught me that high school never did
Three years out of high school, and the lessons that actually stuck didn’t come from classes. They came from showing up for other people. Here’s what I wish someone had told me when I started volunteering. 1. You learn to talk to anyone In class, you talk to people your age who share your schedule [...]
December 14, 2025
Essex County Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students 2025-2026
High school students in Essex County, NJ, have a bunch of volunteer opportunities available to pursue to build resumes, earn service hours, and gain skills for the spring semester starting January 2026. Apply now via online forms or emails, as some roles require orientations or background checks. Essex County Volunteer Roles High Schools Students Should [...]
November 9, 2025
Morris County Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students for 2025-2026
High school students in Morris County, NJ, can earn service hours and skills through hospital support, food service, animal care, and community matching programs. Don’t forget to check what’s listed on NJHSVolunteers.com and other local volunteer directory resources. Many of these are flexible roles good for starting spring semester in January 2026. Some do require [...]
October 13, 2025
Union County Volunteer Opportunities for High School Students: 2025-2026
High school students in Union County, NJ, have various volunteer programs for service hours via county initiatives and libraries, with flexible starts in 2025 or even plan to start in January 2026 for Spring semester roles. The listings below are just some of the current opportunities we found, including grades/ages, descriptions, addresses, URLs, and contacts. [...]