55% of people aged 12-18 volunteer in the community (Corporation for National and Community Services). This number of students can be further increased with mandatory community service for high school graduation. Schools should require community service because it improves students' academic scores, encourages students to volunteer in the future, and can increase student happiness. Community service should be required in schools because it improves students' academic scores. A study titled “The Effects of Community Service on the Academic Performance of Students at a Massachusetts Middle School” by Pauline F. Camara, explains the beneficial impacts of community service on student academic performance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The study found that sixth grade students who volunteered for community service had an average GPA of 3.70 while students who did not perform community service had an average GPA of 3.70. an average GPA of 3.18 (Camara). Evidence shows that students who volunteer for community service have an average GPA that is 0.52 points higher than those who do not participate in community service, which is about half a grade better. Furthermore, evidence shows that community service has a significant, positive effect on student grades. This is probably true because students who volunteer can apply the skills from their service to their real-world classes. For example, if a student helped the community by building a fence, he or she could apply what he or she learned about perimeter fencing to his or her math class, which would help him or her succeed academically. The evidence is positive because it shows a significant correlation between a student's grades and community service. A student's grades could allow them to go to college and acquire a good job so they can continue to give back to the community. Mandatory community service also encourages students to volunteer in the future. The study “The Impact of High School Mandatory Community Service Programs on Subsequent Volunteering and Civic Engagement” by Steven Donald Brown explains how mandatory community service in schools can encourage students to continue doing community service. The research found that 51% of students who were required to do community service continued to do it regularly for a year or more, while only 43% of students who did voluntary community service continued for a year or more. more (Brown). This shows that mandatory community service increased the odds of 8% of students continuing to volunteer compared to students who were not required to volunteer. The data shows a significant increase in the number of students who have done mandatory community service who continue to volunteer regularly, which shows that mandatory community service encourages students to volunteer in the future. Students are probably more likely to volunteer for a longer period if they have done mandatory community service because this forces students to find a community service they could actually enjoy while still receiving credit for it, while students who volunteer casually they may lose interest or have no reason to continue doing community service. This is important because)..