LSA NHS Community Service Guidelines

Service is a primary component of the National Honor Society. Our goal is to instill a sense of pride and service with members now that will continue throughout their adult life. Service should be seen as an opportunity to grow, not a requirement to maintain. We hope members will use this organization to explore the variety of service opportunities available in our school and community.

As a member of the LSA chapter of the National Honor Society, it is a requirement that each member completes at least TEN hours in the service of the community or school per semester. Students may apply 5 hours of summer service towards the Fall semester requirement.

Listed below are examples of activities that would be inappropriate to count toward community service obligation:  Working for your family or family friends (mowing your lawn, baby-sitting, tutoring a sibling, business office, etc.)  Working for a “for profit” business even if you are not being paid.  Working as an officer or member of another club or organization (example: AssistTeens hours cannot count for NHS hours, too)  Working in a fundraiser (any event where you will receive some compensation).  Working as a member of a cast or crew in a play or concert that will charge an admission fee or for which you are earning a grade.  Any hours served during a regular school day (i.e. school sponsored blood drive or food drive if done during class time)  Performing any work that is required of all members of a team (for example, baseball field work day if the team is required to do this).

Example of activities that would be appropriate to count toward your community service obligation would be:  Providing free tutoring on a regular basis (as long as the recipient is not a friend or family member).  Volunteering at church – assisting with Sunday school, vacation bible school, etc.  Volunteering at a food pantry or resale shop.  Volunteering for agencies such as Red Cross, Second Chance Pets, United Way  Volunteering for a school carnival or event  Volunteering as a coach or referee for youth sports or dance teams

If service hours are questionable, members should see a sponsor as soon as possible. Members should NOT assume that all service hour will be accepted.

All service hours should be documented on the official NHS service forms. Members should carry extra forms with them to all service events. Forms are available in the Counselors’ office and may be downloaded from NAVIANCE or the LSA website Please make sure that the form is signed by an adult and that the signature and phone number can be verified (forms should not be signed by a parent unless there is no other adult sponsor/supervisor). If the service recipient provides a form or letter this can be attached to the NHS form and will not need a signature on the form as long as the form or letter has the following elements:  Official letterhead  Description of the service activity  Dates of the service activity  Hours of the service activity  Signature from the adult volunteer coordinator  Phone number or email for the volunteer coordinator.

Members may turn in their service forms as they perform hours. It is not necessary to wait until the deadline. Members who wait until the week of the deadline may have trouble completing the service forms. Late service hours will not be accepted and probation/dismissal letters will be issued for lack of service.