American Youth in Profile
Source: George H. Gallup International Institute

• In 1990, it was estimated that U.S. teen-agers donated 1.6 billion hours annually in voluntary service, the majority through schools, churches or synagogues.
  
• One student in four is required by his or her local school to perform some community service such as helping the poor, the sick or the elderly. One in three performed similar community service that is not school required or sponsored.
  
• If told they were required to serve one year in non-military service to their country, teens expressed the most interest in:
  
  • helping young children in school (70 percent)
    
  • working with homeless people (52 percent)
    
  • working in a hospital or clinic (47 percent)
    
  • working with the elderly (45 percent)
    
  • helping AIDS patients (43 percent)
    
  • helping people in developing countries (34 percent)
    
  • helping people in migrant work camps or Indian reservations (32 percent)
    
  • helping to rebuild cities (31 percent)
    
• Among world values, teens rank in order of importance:
  
  • personal peace (92 percent)
    
  • education (91 percent)
    
  • community work (66 percent)
    
  • world peace (60 percent)
    
  • religious faith (43 percent)