From Campus to Community: A Summer Service Checklist for Cougs

Why Summer Service Matters

Summer can be full of possibility: more daylight, more flexible schedules, more time for service projects, outdoor activities, leadership practice, and community connection.

It can also be a season when young people have fewer structured opportunities, fewer familiar routines, or fewer chances to connect with trusted adults outside of school.

That does not mean one mentor, one workshop, or one project can solve every barrier. It cannot. But thoughtful summer service can create meaningful touchpoints: a conversation, a project, a leadership activity, a moment of encouragement, or a reminder that a young person is seen and valued.

Research from RAND’s National Summer Learning Project found that attendance, program quality, and time on task matter in voluntary summer learning programs. The practical takeaway for Cougs is simple: summer service should be planned with care, consistency, and respect.

What Makes Service Meaningful for Young People?

Good service is not just about showing up. It is about showing up in a way that respects young people’s strengths, choices, privacy, and voice.

Meaningful service starts with listening, respect, and young people having room to contribute.

The Search Institute Developmental Relationships Framework identifies relationship-building practices that help young people grow, including expressing care, providing support, sharing power, and expanding possibilities. Those ideas fit the heart of Cougs 4 Kids: listen first, invite young people to contribute, and make support feel personal rather than performative.

The National Academies report The Promise of Adolescence describes adolescence as a period of opportunity for learning, relationships with peers and adults, and identity development. That is one reason summer service should be built around dignity, belonging, and real connection.

Bring Cougar Pride Into Service This Summer

Cougs 4 Kids is built around a simple belief:

Every young person should have a Coug in their corner.

That Coug might be a WSU student who volunteers, an alum who makes an introduction, a fan who shares the opportunity, a business that sponsors supplies, a donor who gives, or a community supporter who helps open a door.

Cougar pride becomes especially meaningful when it moves from “I care” to “Here is one useful thing I can do.”

The Cougs 4 Kids Summer Service Checklist

Use this checklist as a starting point. Choose what fits your schedule, skills, and role. For a printable version, download the Cougs 4 Kids Summer Service Checklist PDF and keep it nearby as you plan.

Use the downloadable checklist to choose one realistic role before summer calendars fill up.

1. Choose a realistic service role

Start with what you can actually follow through on.

• Help plan a youth-centered activity.
• Support a community service project.
• Assist with logistics, outreach, or materials.
• Help a volunteer team prepare.
• Share a practical skill behind the scenes.
• Invite a business, alumni group, or community supporter to learn more.

Cougs 4 Kids offers volunteer opportunities for people who want to support youth mentorship, leadership, outreach, events, and program growth. Learn more about how to volunteer with Cougs 4 Kids.

The strongest role is not always the biggest one. It is the one you can do thoughtfully.

2. Start with listening

Before planning an activity, ask better questions.

• What do young people already care about?
• What community strengths can this activity build on?
• What support would make participation easier?
• What would help young people feel respected and included?
• Who else should be part of the conversation?

Listening keeps service grounded. It also reflects the Search Institute’s emphasis on relationships that include respect, collaboration, and young people having a say.

3. Plan one youth-centered activity

A summer activity does not need to be complicated.

• A goal-setting conversation.
• A community clean-up shaped by young people.
• A leadership reflection circle.
• A “what I wish I knew earlier” panel.
• A thank-you note project for community helpers.
• A supply-packing day for mentoring or workshop materials.
• A service project where young people help choose the focus.

The key is youth agency. Young people should not only receive support; they should have room to contribute.

Supplies, logistics, and behind-the-scenes help can make youth-centered activities easier to deliver.

4. Keep safety and boundaries clear

Good intentions work best when they are paired with clear expectations.

• What role they are playing.
• Who is coordinating the activity.
• What communication channels should be used.
• What privacy expectations apply.
• How young people’s names, photos, and stories are protected.
• What to do if a concern comes up.

MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring emphasizes that quality mentoring is structured, intentional, inclusive, and safe. MENTOR also notes that mentoring done haphazardly can be harmful, which is why preparation matters.

A mentor or volunteer does not need to have every answer. A strong supporter listens, encourages, respects boundaries, and helps a young person identify a good next step.

5. Make belonging visible

Belonging is built through small signals repeated over time.

• Being greeted with warmth.
• Having their identity respected.
• Seeing their culture treated with dignity.
• Being invited to lead part of a project.
• Hearing, “Your question matters.”
• Knowing they can participate without having to share personal hardship.

Belonging is not a bonus. It is part of how young people experience support.

6. Invite alumni, fans, and businesses to help

Not every Coug can volunteer directly. That is okay.

• Sponsor a youth leadership activity.
• Donate supplies for a workshop or service project.
• Introduce a local business that cares about youth opportunity.
• Share the volunteer page with a WSU alumni group.
• Help recruit skilled volunteers.
• Provide space, snacks, printing, or visibility when helpful.

Businesses and community supporters can explore Cougs 4 Kids sponsorship opportunities or contact Cougs 4 Kids to start a conversation.

7. Reflect before you move on

A service project is not finished when the activity ends.

• What worked?
• What felt unclear?
• What should change next time?
• Who needs to be thanked?
• What follow-up is needed?
• Did this activity help young people feel respected, included, and supported?

Reflection helps turn a one-time service moment into a stronger next step.

Quick Comparison: Ways Cougs Can Serve This Summer

How Donors, Sponsors, and Community Supporters Can Help

Cougs 4 Kids is powered by people who care enough to take a practical next step.

For donors and sponsors, the best question is not, “How big does my gift need to be?”

A better question is:

What kind of support would help young people experience encouragement, belonging, leadership practice, or community connection this summer?

Examples might include workshop materials, mentor preparation resources, youth-centered project supplies, outreach support, or event logistics.

Supporters who want to understand how Cougs 4 Kids stewards community support can visit the transparency and accountability page.

Gratitude for the Coug Community

Cougs 4 Kids is built on a generous idea: Cougar pride can become community care.

Thank you to every WSU student, alum, fan, donor, sponsor, volunteer, business owner, family member, and community supporter willing to ask, “How can I be useful?”

That question matters. It moves the work away from attention and toward trust.