Engage as a volunteer in your community! Although not a requirement to graduate, community service hours are a positive addition to college applications and are required for many scholarship opportunities including Florida's Bright Futures. Here are the guidelines for students to complete community service hours:
- STEP 1: Find an organization that will allow you to complete community service hours.
- STEP 3: Deliver your completed proposal to your counselor for approval signature. This must be done before beginning any community service.
- STEP 4: Once approved, begin your community service, logging your hours and collecting signature(s) from your organization's contact person. Complete this Community Service Log and Reflection.
- STEP 5: After completing your hours, write a reflection of your experience and submit your signed log/reflection to your counselor.
IMPORTANT:
- Per new rules from the Florida Department of Education:
- Students may earn Bright Futures' required hours through paid work.
- Students cannot combine community service hours and paid work hours to meet Bright Futures' requirements.
- Eligibility requirements are subject to change with each legislative session.
- Visit the Bright Futures Handbook for details.
- Students must only begin community service work after their proposal has been submitted to and approved by their school's counselor.
- Students must submit a separate proposal per project/organization.
- Logs must be submitted by the end of EACH school year.
- It is recommended that students keep copies of their forms.
- Students must follow the same procedures for PAID WORK. Same forms will be used, with the addition of pay-stub copies with the hour log.
- Teachers/Club Sponsors/Coaches are NOT eligible to approve community service forms or to accept/submit community service forms on behalf of students.
- Seniors and juniors applying to become National Honor Society candidates must have a minimum of 20 hours of community service hours completed in high school. Paid work does not qualify.