What Counts & What Doesn't

What counts as Exploration?

Be a Self Directed Learner by:

• Using online resources to teach yourself a new skill

• Volunteering for a person, organization or AHS. In doing so, you can learn/refine a skill or system.

• ​Partnering with a local maker or expert to learn a new craft

• Shadowing an expert in an industry of interest

Be a Critical Investigator by:

• Identifying a need in your community. Seek to better understand the need through interviews and additional research, then design a solution.

• Pick a topic you are passionate or curious about, then investigate the issue from multiple perspectives. Practice your Communication Skills by presenting your findings to a relevant audience.

• Making observations and exploring opportunities to become expert Design Thinkers!

Be a Communicator or Collaborator by:

• Selecting the best tool(s) to present to public forum

• Sharing what you have learned via a video, blog, or teaching/learning platform, or live class

• Reaching outside of the classroom to work with others (partnerships, community resources, global connections, etc.) 

What Activities are Capped?

Summer Service = cap of 30 points earned during summer months (typically June 1-August 20)

Runs/Athletic Event Fundraisers for Charity = cap of 5 points per event; this includes physical participation in the event as well as volunteer roles like working check-in tables, water booths, clean-up crew, etc.

Campaigns/Civic Engagement = cap of 5 points per year; includes volunteering for political leaders (either elected or campaigning), working as a capitol page, unpaid internships, documented participation in marches/demonstrations, volunteering a legal office (your work is indirectly benefitting those in need, but you don’t have face-to-face contact with people)

Fostering a Pet = cap of 5 points per year, with required documentation of your hours spent caring for the pet. This is an adventure that usually involves the entire family, so it is difficult to track. If you have clear documentation of personal interaction with foster animals, you may appeal to your teaching team for number of points approved.

Participating in/Leading a Non-Sports Event Fundraiser for Charity = cap of 10 points per year; ex: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Donations to a School-Organized Donation Drive = cap of 3 points per drive: 1 point for a small donation (1-2 items), 2 points for a medium donation (3-9 items), 3 points for a large donation (10+ items)

What does not count?

Donating personal items to Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.: There is no way for us to track donation of goods outside of a school-sponsored drive.

Cash donations: While it is admirable of you to support causes in need, we do not associate service points with monetary donations.

Worship experiences:  Activities such as singing in the church choir, playing music in the church band, being an acolyte, etc. do not count towards service goals. While those are admirable ways to volunteer your time, they are part of worship. We do offer points for work that high school students do to support those in need (the elderly, children, etc.), so if your work involves direct interaction with a group in need, it will likely count for some points.  See your teaching team if you need clarification.

Fundraisers benefiting you or your program: We do not offer points for selling items to raise money for a school organization. 

Paid or Trade experiences: If you are being paid for your work, it is not counted as service.  If you are receiving something in return for volunteering (entrance into a concert of festival in exchange for working at a t-shirt booth, for example), it is not counted as service.