COMMUNITY SERVICE

Engaging in community service is a vital opportunity for scholars to actively contribute to their community, leaving a lasting, positive impact on society. Through volunteerism, scholars not only provide essential services to those in need but also acquire valuable life skills, knowledge, and key elements of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) that are essential for their holistic development.

Volunteerism is an avenue for scholars to gain practical life skills and knowledge while simultaneously nurturing their social and emotional growth. When they participate in community service, they witness firsthand the significant impact their efforts can have on the community, fostering empathy and a sense of social responsibility. SEL skills such as empathy, communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution become tangible and relevant through these experiences.

Community service hours can be earned either within the school or through external organizations. It’s important to note that this category is mandatory for all scholars except seniors, with a point value of 8. Each scholar can record up to 20 entries of community service throughout the school year, with each session lasting for an hour.

Participating in community service, with a focus on SEL, not only benefits the community but also fosters personal growth, social awareness, and emotional intelligence among scholars. It instills in them the importance of contributing to the welfare of others and empowers them to become active, engaged, and socially responsible members of society, all while developing essential SEL skills that are crucial for their overall well-being.

CYSP believes that community service can effectively address all five components of the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) framework, contributing to students’ holistic development:

1. Self-Awareness:

 Scholars can begin to recognize their own areas of strength and weakness. Through community service, scholars can recognize their strengths, such as leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving abilities. They may also identify areas for personal growth. Scholars will be challenged to grow in emotional awareness when they begin to engage with diverse individuals and communities in need, which can enhance scholars’ emotional awareness as they experience empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of the emotions of others.

2. Self-Management:

 Scholars are taught self-regulation skills via community service, which often involves managing one’s time, emotions, and actions effectively, especially in challenging situations or when dealing with unexpected issues. Scholars are also taught goal-setting skills. Scholars can set goals for their community service projects, whether it’s helping a certain number of people or achieving a specific outcome.

3. Social Awareness:

Scholars are taught the skill of empathy through community service because it requires students to connect with and understand the needs and perspectives of others. This fosters empathy and a broader worldview. Community service also helps scholars appreciate diversity. Working with diverse communities exposes students to different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives, promoting an appreciation of diversity.

4. Relationship Skills:

 Scholars learn that effective communication is essential in community service, as scholars interact with community members, fellow volunteers, and project organizers. Working through teamwork and collaborating with others on community service projects strengthens teamwork, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills.

5. Responsible Decision-Making:

Scholars work through ethical decision-making while engaging in community service. Community service often involves making decisions with ethical implications, such as how to allocate resources or prioritize needs. Students learn to make responsible and ethical choices while using problem-solving skills. Scholars learn how to address community needs that require creative problem-solving, helping scholars develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.

CYSP believes that community service provides a rich context for students to practice and develop the five components of the CASEL framework. It allows them to cultivate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making while making positive contributions to their communities.

Community Service Activities    

Community service hours can be earned at school or an outside organization.

If the community service was done in an institution other than the school, it is necessary to bring a document from the institution supervisor.

This category is mandatory for all students except seniors. The point value allocated to this category is 8 points. The maximum Community Service entries allowed for each student are up to 20 times throughout the school year.  Each session must be an hour in length.

Examples: 

  • Students can earn community service hours at school events 
  • Help in various community relief events (e.g., volunteering at a nursing home, fundraising for a natural disaster, food bank activity, helping at a homeless shelter, clean-up activities)
  • Volunteering at a non-profit organization.
  • A service-learning project in one of your classes.
  • A volunteer service project required for a class (i.e., Life Skills volunteer hours).
  • Community organizing, including voter registration and political campaigns.
  • Service learning projects outside of class, including the training and preparation time (training must be directly related and cannot exceed 50% of the number of related service hours).
  • Time served with a faith-based institution that does NOT include teaching or promoting one faith.
  • AmeriCorps 
  • NCCC 
  • Animal Care Shelter Work 
  • Aquatics/Water Safety Instructor 
  • Camp/Outdoor School Volunteer, Civil Air Patrol, Conservation Project,s Crime Prevention Disabled Citizen Assistance Fire Dept. or Police Volunteer First Aid Instructor Health Service Hospital Volunteer Immigrant Services Interpreter Library Work Meals on Wheels Nursing Home/Aid to Elderly Park Volunteer Public Housing Services Red Cross Volunteer Safety Escort for Young Children Tutoring within the Community United Way Volunteer VISTA Program YMCA Volunteer.

**  Please refer to the State and Concept High School guidelines. 

SEL Competencies:

Social Awareness: Organizing and Participating in Community Service Activity.

Relationship Skills: Connecting with communities.

The entry to the Log:

Only Advisors enter their community service and information in their PowerSchool SIS.