Why is there a Community Service Program?
Our country and our communities are committed to providing our young people with the opportunity to receive an education which will enable them to be productive and responsible citizens. One meaningful way students can learn about being responsible citizens is by serving their community.
National data strongly suggests that young people want challenging responsibilities through which they can shape their character, their values, and their commitment to society. They seek a sense of purpose, of inspiration, and of fruitful connections. Beginning a practice of regular community involvement at an early age helps develop lifetime habits of service. A sense of community is so central to who we are as people that many leaders regularly call upon our youth to make values such as citizenship and a sense of obligation to others a priority in their lives.
There are many benefits to volunteering for community service:
- It can give you a sense of accomplishment.
- It can help you explore career interests.
- It can help you develop new skills.
- It can introduce you to new people.
- It can be fun.
The Community Service Program at CCHS began in the late 80 ’s as a way to provide a system for linking students with community needs. Just like academic courses of study, the structure put in place was intended to help introduce students to the wider world outside of school, and participation in the Community Service Program became a requirement for graduation, just like at many schools nationwide. The School Board and the CCHS Faculty and Administration continue to strongly support participation, and continue to assist students in the fulfillment of this requirement.
In addition to school support for the program, a group of CCHS parents, called 2Volunteer, was formed to facilitate the connection between the needs of the community and individual students. 2Volunteer solicits and maintains an active list of service needs on the web site. (Community Service/Volunteer Opportunities for CCHS Students)
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What is the Community Service program at CCHS?
A student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of documented community service before graduation. Many students, however, choose to perform much more than the minimum requirement. (Awards and Recognitions for Community Service at CCHS.) The amount of community service a student chooses to perform is a matter of choice and circumstances. Factors such as time available, interests, commitment, academic work load, and other outside responsibilities should be weighed before deciding how much time can be devoted to community service. Summer can be a great time to work on volunteer projects, even the summer after 8th grade, before entering CCHS.
Community service can be performed during the school day, after school, evenings, weekends, and during the summer when more time is available. It can be done on a regular, ongoing basis for a specific period of time or as a project in which a number of hours is completed over a shorter, less fixed schedule (Examples of Community Service Activities).
One of the criteria for open campus privilege is completion of 30 hours of community service prior to senior year or completion of 10 hours of community service prior to junior year, or 20 hours before the second semester of junior year.
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What is the definition of community service for the purpose of this requirement?
Eligible community service activity is:
- Performed for no pay.
- Completed at a nonprofit agency, organization or hospital .
- Beneficial to at least one other person and/or the larger community.
- Not associated with the teaching or promotion of any specific religion.
- Separate from a service activity for which the student is already receiving school credit or those mandated by a court or school disciplinary action.
If the student has a question about the eligibility of a certain service activity, contact the Assistant Principals for a clarification or a determination, preferably before completing the service to avoid any misunderstanding.
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How is the service recorded for the purpose of this requirement?
Any student who wishes to receive credit for a specific community service project must complete a Project Completion Form, contained in this web site or available in the Main or Guidance Office. The student and the student’s service supervisor should fill out the form, certifying that the activity was completed, and the completed form should be submitted to your Class Administrator in the Main Office. Forms should be completed and submitted in a timely manner to insure that credit can be recorded.
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How can I find out about specific community service opportunities?
2Volunteer maintains a bulletin board near the front entrance where notices of service needs are posted. In addition, 2Volunteer maintains a master listing of all known volunteer opportunities in the area, and this listing is constantly maintained on this web site (Community Service/Volunteer Opportunities for CCHS Students).
In addition, students are strongly encouraged to employ their own talents, interests, and imaginations to create their own community service projects. Participating in or organizing a community service project alone, with friends, with a church group, or with a club, team, class, or other school organization is welcomed.
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What is 2Volunteer and how can they help me?
CCHS is committed to a requirement of Community Service to help teach the value and importance of service to a larger community. We at 2Volunteer hope to facilitate the best possible match between student and organization, affording the most meaningful experience for all involved. We also want to help encourage and reward those students who dedicate their time and energy to helping others.
2Volunteer can be contacted at 2Volunteer@colonial.net, or by writing to 2Volunteer at CCHS, 500 Walden Street, Concord 01742.
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