Spirit, Service, Leadership
At Notre Dame College Prep, we are committed to helping our students realize that a Holy Cross education is not simply measured by a grade, but by the quality of one’s character and one’s commitment to justice.
Building upon the Holy Cross Values of integrity and family, Campus Ministry coordinates service and social outreach projects both within our school as well as the wider Chicagoland area. Blood drives, food drives, and charity fundraisers enable students to serve within the school. Volunteering in local outreach programs allows students and staff to extend our spirit of service beyond the classroom and into the community. The Campus Ministry department strives to promote the growth of Holy Cross Values in all of our students, empowering them to become mature, well rounded, and socially responsible people of faith.
We would like to offer Dons the opportunity to serve in the way that they are best equipped that reflects each person's personality, skill, and comfort level.
When it comes to positive change, everyone can make a difference. It doesn't matter if your daily act of kindness is picking up something someone dropped, walking a dog at the humane society, or giving $10,000 to a charitable organization. We all are capable of contributing to the world in different, yet positive ways. Whether our contribution is lending a smile to a stranger, carrying an elderly folks' groceries, or helping to build a new facility for an organization in need; we all have the ability to give back in varying capacities.
Service Hour Requirements for 2023-24
Service Hour Requirements by Grade:
Freshmen: 15 hours - (it is suggested to limit 1/2 your service hours to NDCP Related events)
Sophomores: 15 hours (it is suggested to limit 1/2 your service hours to NDCP Related events)
Juniors: 15 hours (All Social Justice Hours in the community)
Seniors: 15 hours (it is suggested to limit 1/2 your service hours to NDCP Related events)
Any Burke Scholar student who is receiving a diploma is required to complete the full amount of service hours expected of our college prep students. If they are getting a certificate, no service hours are required (but encouraged!)
Overview:
June 1st: Students may begin working on their Christian service hours.
January 1st: Students are encouraged to have half of their Christian service hours completed and logged in Helper Helper.
Deadlines:
Ongoing: Students must submit their hours for approval within one month of their completion via the Helper Helper App.
Final Deadline: Senior service hours are due Saturday, April 27, 2024 - Freshmen, sophomore and junior service hours are due Saturday, May 4, 2024
In order to complete the paper for his Religious Studies course, a student must complete all 15 of his required service hours for that school year. Failure to complete the paper will negatively impact a student’s Religious Studies course grade.
Seniors who are not enrolled in a second semester Religious Studies course will submit their papers to their religion teacher by the date assigned above.
Examples of how Students May Earn Service Hours at ND:
Freshmen, Sophomore and Seniors are asked to dedicate at least 1/2 their volunteer hours to their local community and outside organizations such as those that work with people in need. The remaining hours can be dedicated to serving your Notre Dame family. Ways in which students may earn service hours at NDCP:
Being an Ambassador at Admissions open houses
Volunteering at Notre Dame athletic and community events.
ND Concessions
ND Camps
ND fundraisers (Burke Program/Gala)
Additional hours should be dedicated to outside service organizations. These can be found on your own or specific events advertised through the Helper Helper App, such as Food Pantries, Catholic Charities, Misericordia, , etc.
Service to the student’s parish, grammar school, or local community, which includes but is not limited to: altar serving and other liturgical ministries; volunteering to coach or tutor at his grammar school; volunteering time at community events such as charity or fundraising events, park or neighborhood cleanups, non-profit organizations, etc.
Is there anything that does not meet the service hour expectations?
The following activities, while important, do not fulfill the Christian Service expectations and therefore will not count toward a student’s 15 hours:
Assisting family members with chores or babysitting
Volunteering at a family member’s place of employment
Volunteering at any other for-profit business
Any activity where the student is compensated for his time
Junior Class service hour expectations:
All 15 hours should fall under the “social justice” guidelines. The determination of what constitutes “social justice” service is open to a great number of interpretations. In place of a “social justice” stipulation, juniors are expected to complete all of their service hours off campus and in their required reflection paper will relate their service to one of the seven Catholic Social Teaching principles outlined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and listed below. Further elaboration of these principles is available on the USCCB’s website: http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-ca tholic-social-teaching.cfm
The Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching:
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
Solidarity
Stewardship/Care for God’s Creation
Social Justice is defined as any unpaid work and tangible acts of service performed by a student with a legitimate 503c non-profit organization for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Students should be responding to the call to minister to those truly in need of love, hope, and compassion. Within Social Justice, students engage directly and face-to-face with individuals with special needs, the poor, the sick, or the elderly.
Volunteering is defined as performing acts of supportive service to our immediate community. Students learn the value and importance of serving in the places they live, study, and worship. Volunteering includes serving your parish, the NDCP community, your town, or a non-profit organization through events and activities that make a difference.
The rationale of service during the junior year is grounded especially in the charism of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and as such is integral to the mission of Notre Dame College Prep:
Students learn about, and experience service encounters with “...the poor and afflicted because only from there can we appeal as Jesus did for the conversion and the deliverance of all." (Holy Cross Constitutions 2, 13) In these direct encounters, students learn the value of solidarity and see the poor, not paternalistically as someone to be ‘helped’, but as fellow human beings - friends - with whom they can create a better world.
Memorandum of Understanding
Brothers of Holy Cross Midwest Province
and Notre Dame College Prep
In their Religious Studies classes, all juniors learn about the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which encapsulate the Catholic Church’s concern for social justice. While not every act of service or charitable organization encapsulates all seven Catholic Social Teaching principles, a student should be able to connect at least one or two of them with any service project done outside of Notre Dame College Prep.
Students will be logging and tracking their hours through the Helper Helper App. Students can sign on with their ND email address.
Here is a quick demo of how it works: APP Tutorial: https://vimeo.com/134275500
How can I log my own hours in the Helper Helper App?
The students all have accounts on our Helper Helper app where they can find opportunities and log thier hours. They can add volunteer opportunities by choosing "+Add Past Commitment" from the menu bar in the top left corner. From there they will walk through the steps. They are asked to add a name and email of someone to approve the hours. There are also opportunities for students to sign up on the App itself. Or look through the Christian Service Website for ideas.
Video on adding a past commitment: https://vimeo.com/829475794?share=copy
What if there is an organization that does NOT validate hours via the Helper Helper App?
THIS FORM can be used when volunteering at larger organizations that may not allow verification of service hours via he Helper Helper App (ie FMSC or GCFD). You an have someone sign this and upload the form with your service hour submission. You can then include a parent email as the person to validate your hours.
