If you're wondering how to get volunteer hours that truly matter, not just fulfill graduation requirements, you are in the right place. For high school students, volunteering can be a meaningful opportunity to explore interests, gain real-world skills, and understand how their efforts can support long-term change.
That is where the Smiles Movement comes in. Through our global high school travel programs, students earn certified volunteer hours while engaging in immersive service learning that promotes empathy, leadership, and collaboration.
Students looking to deepen their impact often find that volunteering through international programs offers more than traditional options at home.
Why Volunteer Hours Matter for High School Students
Many high schools require students to complete a specific number of service hours in order to graduate. However, colleges and scholarship programs increasingly focus on how those hours were earned. They look for initiative, personal growth, and tangible contributions.
By participating in the Smiles Movement, students can:
- Earn up to 40 certified service hours
- Gain international experience that enhances their resume
- Collaborate with local professionals and leaders
- Contribute to impactful, community-driven development projects
Students who participate often gain a clearer understanding of their academic and career interests while learning the importance of cultural sensitivity.
How to Get Volunteer Hours While Traveling
Combining travel with service work gives students the opportunity to grow both personally and academically. MEDLIFE’s Service Learning Trips (SLTs) are recognized as some of the best summer travel programs for high school students because they are structured, safe, and focused on ethical engagement.
Students on an SLT might:
- Build staircases to connect isolated homes with essential services
- Lead health education activities for children
- Shadow medical professionals in mobile clinics
- Assist in agricultural or sanitation projects designed to improve public health
Each activity contributes to long-term goals that are developed in partnership with local communities. Through this hands-on model, students gain insight into real-world public health challenges.
Why Smiles Movement is Different From Other High School Travel Programs
While many programs offer short-term volunteer trips, Smiles Movement ensures that student involvement supports long-term change. Our approach is based on education, equity, and respect for local leadership.
Key aspects of our model include:
- Employing more than 90 percent local staff members
- Using a 50-50 model in which communities contribute labor and ideas
- Prioritizing collaboration over charity
This framework empowers students to contribute without reinforcing savior narratives and to return home with a deeper sense of purpose. Our participants often share that their most valuable lessons came from working directly with local healthcare professionals.
How to Apply and Start Earning Volunteer Hours
Whether you need to meet a deadline or plan ahead for the summer, applying to the Smiles Movement is a simple process designed with students in mind. Our programs offer flexible scheduling, guided support, and accessible destinations.
Here is how to get started:
- Browse our available Service Learning Trips
- Discuss your plans with a parent or school counselor
- Contact us to get started
- Pack for your destination and prepare for meaningful engagement
For those wondering which destination fits their goals, it can help to review some of the most student-friendly countries for educational travel.
Join the Smiles Movement to Promote Oral Health
You do not need prior experience to make a meaningful contribution. If you are looking for a program that aligns with your values and helps fulfill graduation requirements, Smiles Movement offers one of the best summer travel programs for high school students.
Start your journey by downloading our brochure
For less than one coffee a month, you can make an impact in low-income communities
Choose a path that makes your volunteer hours meaningful—for your future and for the communities you serve.
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