Trent Jacobs, 13, was careful not to spill any cat litter as he cleaned out a kennel at the Hawaiian Humane Society's cat house, which houses cats awaiting adoption.

Trent and his 12-year-old brother, Troy, both students at St. Patrick's School, spent a recent morning during their spring break volunteering at the Humane Society, helping the cats and preparing them for their potential new families.

"I enjoy this," Trent said softly while emptying litter into a trash can. "I like working with cats a lot and I want them to get adopted."

As youth volunteers, Trent and Troy are helping themselves as much as they are helping their furry feline friends, experts say.

"Through volunteering, children learn how to respect others, be more considerate and develop communication and leadership skills," said Jody Shiroma Perreira, vice president of marketing and communications at Aloha United Way, a community service organization.

Studies show that students who volunteer are less likely to abuse drugs, alcohol and cigarettes or engage in destructive behavior, and are more likely to do well in school and graduate, Shiroma Perreira said.

"Volunteerism is a way that can ground teens and connect them to not just a better sense of self, but also the community and world around them," she said.

Trent and Troy's mother, Leticia Jacobs, smiled as she watched her sons gently interact with the animals.

"This teaches them to be selfless, to give back to the community and to make a difference," said Jacobs, a state tax auditor from Honolulu.

START EARLY

Lashelle Eguires, 15, was just a toddler when she started accompanying her father to one of his many community service projects — whether reading to children or sharing Hawaiian values with families.

Today, Eguires and her dad, Hercules Huihui, are active volunteers with the annual Lantern Floating Hawai'i Ceremony, organized by Na Lei Aloha Foundation and Shinnyo-en Hawai'i. This year, the father-daughter duo are helping build lanterns for the Memorial Day event.

"It makes me feel good to give back and work with others," said Eguires, a sophomore at Waipahu High School.

It's this very attitude that Huihui said he has stressed to his daughter since she was a child.

"It makes me proud that she loves giving back ... it's really awesome," said Huihui, 49, of Waipahu.

It's important for children to learn about volunteerism from an early age so that they know they have the ability to make a difference no matter how old they are, said Carri Morgan, director of the Luke Center for Public Service at Punahou School.

"Knowing that you can do something for the good of others is empowering, enlightening and transformative on many levels," Morgan said.

Parents should call organizations to learn age requirements for volunteering. The Humane Society, for example, accepts volunteers as young as 8 years old.

Volunteerism offers young children many opportunities for important life lessons, said Alyssa Braffith, dean of student support service at Kamehameha Schools' Kapalama High School.

"I believe that children's earliest lessons in community leadership, responsible citizenship, work ethic and attitude are born in volunteerism and serving others," Braffith said. "When you volunteer, it's not about the clock or money. It's about your heart of service."

ROLE MODELS

Punahou seventh-grader Alayna Kobayashi comes from a family of service-minded people. Her grandparents are active volunteers at their Buddhist temple and her mother, a first-grade teacher at Punahou, organizes opportunities for her students to volunteer with the elderly.

"Even at a very young age, they have the power to make a positive impact in the lives of others," said Alayna's mom, Danette Kobayashi, 43, of 'Aiea.

It's no wonder that Alayna has developed the same drive to help others.

"I feel like I get a lot of my enthusiasm for doing community service from my family," said Alayna, 13.

Her volunteer activities have included sorting books for book drives and even organizing a "Save the Sumatran Tigers" campaign, which involved recycling activities, when she was in the fifth grade.

"Modeling behavior is the best way a parent can pass on a legacy of volunteer- ism," Shiroma Perreira said.

Parents can help engage their children by talking with them to determine what they care about or what they find fun, Shiroma Perreira said. Then they can work on a list of their talents and skills, and explore the logistics of transportation or time commitments.

"You might decide to start off doing something small, like picking up rubbish around your neighborhood or local beach, holding a garage sale and donating the proceeds to an issue or charity matching your child's interests," Shiroma Perreira said. "To make the activity even more fun, include a handful of their friends and make a day of it with a picnic or ice cream after."

At the Humane Society, Jacobs said her son, Trent, who likes cats, approached her with the idea to volunteer there. Jacobs said she was more than happy to take the required volunteer classes with him and his brother to support their endeavors.

"They're not just thinking about themselves," Jacobs said. "This will have a positive effect on their personal development and will teach them to be responsible and well-rounded."