We are in the midst of a global crisis, and many students are wondering how to adapt to this new reality while continuing to engage in activities. 

Let's not sugar coat it: it’s really disappointing for students to have to give up many of their school and extracurricular activities. Your student may really be feeling the loss of their debate tournament, tennis match, dance team, robotics club, or musical. It goes without saying that we are all working to provide opportunities for your teen to vent their frustrations and express their emotions—they've earned it.

But I want to offer a radical idea—a way to turn lemons into lemonade. This crisis may be an incredible opportunity for your student to broaden their involvement. They're going to have to dig deeper to find something that works, and in doing so, they'll learn a little more about themselves. With their creativity, character, skills, and interests, they can find something new that will add a layer to their identity. Bonus points if they make a positive impact on others in their community in the meantime.

FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS 

This is the time to explore! You may be thinking, "but my student can’t do anything; they have to stay inside." That's where your student's creativity comes in. How can they take their interests and turn them into virtual activities?

Here are some examples of activities that are perfect opportunities for freshmen and sophomores during this extended time of social isolation:

• Find a remote conversation partner for the foreign language that interests them.
• Offer online concerts playing their chosen instrument.
• Sign up to call elderly people in their community who are especially lonely.
• Teach an online class to kids in a subject that interests them.
• Create activity packets to mail to kids as a part of a summer course.
• Pursue creative writing projects: start a blog, write a short story or a screenplay.
• Build a computer or other electronic device.
• Interview people about a subject that interests them; maybe even create a podcast.
• Take a painting or drawing class online.
• Find a penpal in another part of the world.
• Work with a teacher or mentor to develop an independent project.

JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS

Many juniors and seniors have already deepened their engagement in activities. They've taken initiative and strengthened the impact of their involvement, and now they're feeling let down that they can't see things through. But even while they are stuck at home, your older teens can find new ways to show initiative and impact. 

By doing things that impact others, students will feel more engaged in their communities and will experience more agency as they navigate a very complicated situation. Here are a few examples:

Find a conversation partner for the foreign language that interests them.

Impact: They are able to serve as a translator for their school’s sister school in Mexico the following year.

Work with a teacher to create an independent study project in an area of interest.

Impact: The independent study project turns into a potential career interest, and they are able to mentor others on how to create their own projects.

Propose a service project to friends and family to help people impacted by COVID-19.

Impact: The proposed service project leads to ten people joining to help (thus increasing the potential future impact of service projects).

Reach out to elderly people in the community via Nextdoor.

Impact: One of the seniors they talk to each week is an expert in World War II history, and your student greatly expands their knowledge on the subject.

Move from journal writing to starting a creative writing blog.

Impact: The blog gains 1,000 followers and inspires other teens to become creative writers. Ultimately, a few followers get together to create an online writing group.

Create a neighborhood summer camp for kids via Zoom by advertising on social media.

Impact: 20 kids sign up for the summer camp, and their parents have a free hour to work or relax.

If none of those spark anything, here are some other resources for remote community service ideas:

• Ideas to Act for the Common Good During Coronavirus Crisis
• Helping Partners through Generation Serve
• Tutor Children Virtually With TeensGive
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Certain activities just can't be virtual. Your student can't play on the baseball team remotely. They can't perform in their spring musical from home. But they can take the opportunity to broaden their horizons and try something they otherwise wouldn't have been able to. That will help them learn more about themselves and have an impact on their community that they otherwise would have never had.