Community Service/Service as Action

If you are getting paid money, getting school credits, or doing your work during the school day (and it is NOT a teacher/class led project), then it cannot count towards your Community Service hours.
If it is something you are doing in your “free time,” on weekends, after school, during lunchtime, during school breaks or vacations, and you are doing something for a not-for-profit organization, then it is Community Service (if you are not sure if an organization is not-for-profit, you should ask them first). Community service can help any group of people in need: children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, English language learners, and more. It can also help animals, such as those at a shelter, and it can be used to improve places, such as local parks, historic buildings, or scenic areas as well.

• Volunteering at a hospital, library, parks & recreation, etc.
• Peer tutoring on a regular basis under the direction of a teacher provided that it is done during lunch, before and/or after school or during vacation.
• Team manager as long as the student is not rewarded with a grade or athletic letter.
• Campus beautification/improvements under the supervision of a staff member, and provided that it is during lunch, before and/or after school.
• Volunteering at the Red Cross, food banks, Salvation Army, & senior citizen facilities.
• Babysitting for free for a non-profit organization.
• Club activities that benefit the organization as a whole, not the individual.
• Girl & Boy Scout groups and/or their community service activities.
• Participation in charity events such as Race for the Cure, Relay 4 Life, etc.
• School and/or community fundraisers that benefit the organization as a whole, not the individual.
• Assisting a teacher in their classroom provided that it is done during lunch, before and/or after school.
• Doing chores for a non-family member who is physically unable and/or low income.
• Volunteering at after school activities/events.
• Volunteering at religious activities involving the community.

Examples that would not count for Community Service

• Being a teacher’s assistant
  Why Not: the service is done during school.
• Tutoring your friend
  Why Not: No supervision. Only benefits one person, not an organization or the community.
• Fundraisers that benefit the individual (e.g. earning financial credit to be applied at a future club event)
  Why Not: Student is receiving personal credit/indirect payment for the activity.
• Mowing a neighbor’s lawn or helping people move
  Why Not: Would only count if the neighbor were physically unable to provide this service for themselves or be unable to pay for this service (low-income).
• Babysitting for free or working for free at a family/friend’s business
  Why Not: The service is not associated with a community event/organization and the service is rendered directly to a for-profit organization/business.
• Donating clothing, etc or collecting money.
  Why Not: Donating, such as giving money or materials, is not considered volunteering, although it is acknowledged there is a time element required in these forms of donating. However, organizing/running a donation fundraiser does count.
• Helping at social or sports clubs/organizations
  Why Not: Clubs that are organized for pleasure, recreation, and other nonprofitable purposes are not considered communities in need.

If you are ever in doubt about your service, please contact Mrs. Litz in the Counseling Center.

• Being a teacher’s assistant
  Why Not: the service is done during school.

• Tutoring your friend
  Why Not: No supervision. Only benefits one person, not an organization or the community.

• Fundraisers that benefit the individual (e.g. earning financial credit to be applied at a future club event)
  Why Not: Student is receiving personal credit/indirect payment for the activity.
• Mowing a neighbor’s lawn or helping people move
  Why Not: Would only count if the neighbor were physically unable to provide this service for themselves or be unable to pay for this service (low-income).
• Babysitting for free or working for free at a family/friend’s business
  Why Not: The service is not associated with a community event/organization and the service is rendered directly to a for-profit organization/business.
• Donating clothing, etc or collecting money.
  Why Not: Donating, such as giving money or materials, is not considered volunteering, although it is acknowledged there is a time element required in these forms of donating. However, organizing/running a donation fundraiser does count.
• Helping at social or sports clubs/organizations
  Why Not: Clubs that are organized for pleasure, recreation, and other nonprofitable purposes are not considered communities in need.