Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School

• Community Service projects must be unpaid, volunteer work for a non-profit charitable organization (which relies on public funding and donations).
• Examples of non-profit organizations are: churches, schools, the Humane Society, food banks, the Special Olympics, the Red Cross, etc.
• Eligible service is not limited to Townshend or surrounding areas.
• Eligible service for schools may not replace instructional time or be required for a grade.
• Examples of excluded organizations are social clubs and political organizations.
• Projects required for other programs (National Honors Society, sports team, Student Council) can be counted for community service though in some cases, hours may be capped, and all hours must be pre-approved.

• Meet new people
• Have responsibility
• Challenge yourself
• Gain many helpful qualities, like patience and independence
• Help people who really need it
• Interact with the community
• Have fun
• Feel good while helping others
• Help the whole community, not just a few people

Job Opportunities: Students who have done community service for organizations may go on to become employees. Some students learn new possibilities for jobs or recommendations through those organizations.

College: If you have many community service experiences and/or your community services experiences are diverse, your high school transcript reflects this experience. College Admission Officers like to see that students have a connection within the community and take the initiative to help others.

• Working in the Snack Shack through the L&G Booster Club
• Spending time at Valley Cares talking with a resident
• Helping West River Valley Thrives with their monthly mailing
• Assisting a teacher as a Do Unto Others (DUO)

• Money or credits are received for your work
• Work for your parents
• Camp counselor (paid)
• Chores at home
• Participation in religious service

• Community service on a trip with school or an organization
• Student Manager of a sports team

• Students must perform 40 total service hours in order to graduate. It is suggested that this occur at a rate of 10 hours per year but students can complete hours ahead of time.
• Transfer students’ requirements will be prorated using intervals of 5 hours per semester (ex: midyear transfer in 10th grade will owe 25 hours prior to graduation).
• Students must complete 30 hours by senior year to be eligible for senior privileges. Juniors must complete 30 hours of community services in order to attend the Prom and Seniors must complete their 40 hours of community service in order to attend the Prom.

• All projects that are not pre-approved will not be accepted for graduation unless approved by the Administration. A maximum of half-time will be granted in that circumstance.
• Students are responsible for obtaining necessary pre-approval and returning their completed forms to the Community Service Coordinator. Students have a right to appeal rejected proposals to administration.
• Summer projects must be pre-approved by the Community Service Coordinator.
• Deadlines: work completed over the summer, June 1 – August 15, must be filed by September 30th. Work completed during the school year, August 16 – June 1, must be filed by June 1st.
• The supervising individual should be affiliated with the non-profit charitable organization and may not be an immediate family member, unless special permission is given.
• Hours can be earned at any time beginning after 8th grade graduation but they must still be pre-approved by the Community Service Coordinator.

Community service hours can be earned with a non-profit organization.  A non-profit organization is not a business but is an agency which serves the needs of a group of people or the community. Community service hours can be fulfilled by sharing your talents in other ways, such as performing music or helping teach basic computer skills at Valley Cares.  

Picking an organization and doing the community service work is what takes energy; the easy part is filling out the paperwork. 

• There is a form that everyone who completes any amount of community service MUST complete.  It can be found in the Main Office tray marked “blank community service forms”.
• All projects must be pre-approved by one of the Community Service Coordinators before the work is done. 
• The top portion of the form needs to be completed and turned into the Community Service Coordinator.
• After the hours have been completed, someone from the organization that was a part of the community service must sign the form.  Once the work and form are completed, it must be turned into the office, and hours will be compiled and tracked.