Community Service
Advisor: Patty Clapper email & Diane Kennedy email
Meeting Location: Community Service Room (across from the LGI)
Meeting Times/Dates: Varies
Membership: Anyone is welcome to participate.
Guidelines and Policies for Community Service
Description: The CHS Community Service Program provides students with the opportunity to learn through volunteering. Its purpose is to involve students in the community so they gain a deeper understanding for the needs of others and become part of a caring society. Students acquire leadership skills, build self-confidence, develop independence, and feel a sense of personal satisfaction by participating in the events/activities offered. There are three ways to volunteer through our program.
One-Time Events – Several community-based clubs and organizations notify us when they need volunteers to help with their events. These requests are posted in our office and students hear about them in the daily announcements. Students sign up and volunteer as their schedules allow. We encourage them to check these listings often because volunteer requests for these events change frequently.
Agency Placements – There are approximately 30 agencies we have contact with who will accept student volunteers. This is a valuable opportunity for students to learn more about a field of study or interest they may have. Students make an on-going commitment to serve the agency on a regular basis. Some of the placement opportunities are with St. Mary’s Hospital, Aurora, Big Brother/Sisters, Family Tree, Interfaith Caregivers, Special Olympics and others
CHS Special Events – These are our own High School sponsored events which are planned and implemented by our students with the specific goal in mind of serving our community or raising funds to donate to a cause. Some of these events are the Food Drive, Senior Thanksgiving Meal, Jam 4 Charity, Portal Prom, Locks of Love and others.
Self-Arranged Service (Activities Outside of CHS Community Service Program): Students who choose to serve through another organization (Scouting, Explorers, Church, Civil Air Patrol, 4-H, etc.) should speak with our office prior to volunteering so that they understand what types of activities will be counted as community service hours at CHS. Activities that are not coordinated through our office will be counted toward service hours as long as certain guidelines are met. There is no guarantee that activities done without prior approval will be counted.
**Volunteering for a business (a profit making entity) does not count as service in our program. Even if the student is not paid, we still do not view helping a business as “service to our community” because only the business/business owner benefits.**
Recording Service Hours: Students who participate in any type of service need to keep an accurate record of their hours on a community service log sheet. The sheets are available in our office. The log lists the date, time, activity, and place where the student volunteered. The adult supervising the activity must sign the log to verify the number of hours served. Parents are only allowed to sign as the supervisor if they were the advisor or person in charge of the activity. Logs are due four times each year. Students are expected to turn in logs throughout the school year they are currently involved. Students doing extended or overnight service (mission trips, camp counselors, etc.) will need an additional letter from their supervisor stating the number of service hours earned. Only hours where the student was “actively involved” in service will be counted in these cases.
Recognition: Community service volunteering is not required to graduate, however, those students who participate in community service can earn recognition for sharing their time and talents. Students who earn, log and turn in 200 service hours earn white cords and those volunteering 800 hours earn white & orange cords. The cords are worn at the June commencement ceremony senior year.
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