Have questions about service hours? The following article from the HCPS website will help!
Community Service Guidelines
Bright Futures
To access an award through the Bright Futures Program, a student must complete a program of community service work, as approved by the school, which will require the student to identify a social problem that interests him or her, develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the problem, and through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. (Florida Statute 1009.534)
Community Service is defined as identifying and addressing a social issue in the community. This requires students to look beyond themselves and reach out to an issue faced by our society today (i.e. poverty, abuse, elderly citizen, homelessness). These hours will meet the requirement for the Florida Bright Futures Award Program.
Volunteer Service is defined as assisting where needed and does not necessarily address a social issue. Although these hours are not recorded on the transcript, students can keep a log of these activities for use when applying for college, job applications, awards and scholarships other than Bright Futures.
Florida Academic Scholars – 100 hours of community service
Florida Medallion Scholars – 75 hours of community service
Florida Gold Seal Vocational – 30 hours of community service
- Students must complete a Community Service Proposal Form and submit it for approval to the Community Service Designee at the school site prior to beginning the service.
- Students should keep copies of all documentation that is submitted to the schools.
- Projects done during the summer before beginning 9th grade will be considered if a proposal is submitted and approved by the high school the student plans to attend.
- Students must perform the service during non-school hours.
- Fundraising may count as community service if all funds raised are donated to address a social issue in the community.
- Service-Learning projects may count as community service if preapproved by the Community Service Designee.
- All community service hour documentation MUST be submitted by the school’s graduation date.
- Any community service hours submitted after the graduation date even if earned prior to graduation will not be accepted. No Exceptions.
- A parent/guardian cannot represent as a service agency.
Hours That Are Not Acceptable
- Family related activities.
- Hours that are compensated either financially or with some other material benefit.
- Court mandated community service.
- Service for the sole benefit of a religious house of worship and/or its congregation.
- Co-curricular activities that are course requirements.
- An activity where there is no leader or responsible adult on site to evaluate and confirm student performance.
- Donations (ex. blood, Locks of Love)
- Hours submitted after graduation.
- Fostering of animals
