Dear Students,
As part of our religion curriculum here at the Academy of the Holy Family, you have the opportunity to give of yourself in the service of others. These are the requirements of the service you will be doing during your time as a student at the Academy:
-> Each student fulfills a minimum of service hours according to her grade level—
- Freshmen: 20 service hours
- Sophomores: 25 service hours
- Juniors: 25 service hours
- Seniors: 30 service hours
-> Service hours for the next year may begin for the upcoming school year on the day after the previous school year is completed. (Many students do hours of work on their service project over the summer.) Freshmen may count summer service hours once they graduate from eighth grade.
-> True service hours are those done at a community or church based function or for a neighbor or extended family member for whom you are not obliged by family responsibilities to render service. Regular jobs assigned by your parents in your own home are not considered voluntary, but rather obligatory as part of being a member of your family, e.g., washing dishes, cleaning, vacuuming, raking leaves, etc.
-> You may not receive compensation for the services you render, whether in the form of money or other material goods. Your compensation is the satisfaction you receive for following in the footsteps of the Master.
-> Your service hour sheets, accompanying these directives, are to be filled out and signed by the person for whom you did the service. In the case of a community, church or other organization, an official from that organization is to sign off on your hours of service. Some organizations have their own forms; simply attach those to your own service log when handed in to your teacher.
-> Family members may not sign off on services rendered.
-> Be aware that may college and job applications have ample space for a student to highlight her service hours, especially community services. Colleges and places of employment are looking for generous and giving people!
-> Best practice: Divide the number of hours you need to fulfill and divide those by four. At the end of each grading period, hand in your service report for evaluation by your Religion teacher. (Exception: Seniors should hand their final service report with signatures two weeks before graduation.)
-> What you need to hand in:
- Community service log with services rendered and official signatures. Hand in your service log to your religion teacher at the end of each grading period. She will initial it and give it back to you for the next grading period.
- A one-page reflection paper on a particular service you rendered, describing the service and how it has positively impacted your life. The page needs to be typed with complete diocesan heading.