Community Service

Potential NHS Members are required to have 30 hours of on-going community service completed during the current school year.  If you think you may academically qualify come March of your sophomore or junior year, make sure you have started volunteering!!! 

VOLUNTEER HOURS – BASIC INFORMATION

Community service hours must be completed during the current school year.  We will also accept community service hours from July and August. It must be ongoing, therefore cannot be completed in one month.  Please get a letter on company letterhead from the place you volunteered and have someone in charge sign it for further documentation of your service.

Use the 2 buttons below to find local volunteer opportunities.  Be sure to check the list below of acceptable and not acceptable types of service.

Examples of Acceptable Activities 

Below is a list of some acceptable community service. Please see one of the NHS advisors if you have questions regarding service that is not listed below.

1.      Hospital Service; 

2.      Volunteering for a nonprofit organization such as March of Dimes, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, United Way. American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, Relay for Life, ASPCA etc.

3.      Volunteering at a local library.

https://www.sachemlibrary.org/programs-events/teen-volunteers/

4.  Tutoring/mentoring associated with a structured organization-

5.   Soup Kitchens/PB&J Gang; 

6.   Senior Centers, Nursing Homes, Adopt a Grandparent; 

7.   Church and Youth group activities that benefit the community.

8.   First Aide/Fire Departments including EMT training/Police Explorers; 

9.  Girl/Boy Scouts-Community Events and Eagle Scout Projects, 

10.  Special Olympics

11.  Volunteer at a local park; 

12.  Mission/Relief work projects; 

13.  Environmental Projects; Adopt a Highway

14.  Preventative Drug, Alcohol, Violence & Abuse Programs; 

15.  Red Cross (Blood Drives, Emergency preparedness, etc.); 

16.  United Way Big Brothers/Big Sisters; 

17.  Club activities that perform service for a community organization (as long as you do not use that club as one of your 2 activities)

a.      Awake-a-Thon only counts for 6 hours

Examples of Not Eligible Activities 

1.      Office work

a.       Service at private doctor’s office/EMO; 

b.      Service at a private law firm; 

c.       Service at a family owned business or private business of any type; 

2.      Private tutoring (not done through an established organization); 

3.      Babysitting (paid or unpaid); 

4.      Assisting or teaching at a business that you already attend, such as at a dance studio or karate dojo.

5.      Assisting a neighbor, family member, or friend. (chores, shoveling snow, cutting the lawn etc. or working in a relative’s place of employment (or classroom).

6.      Work with an organization where volunteering is required for your or someone else’s membership (pay to play athletic leagues where children or parents must volunteer time in order for a child to play); 

7.      In school activities that are a required component of a club and/or class; 

8.      Internships (personal development is not community service); 

9.      Political Campaigns; 

10.  Job Training, CIT/Counselor in Training: Job training is considered as getting ready for a paid position and therefore is not considered volunteer work even though it is unpaid; 

11.  If you received any pay or benefits for your work it is not considered volunteer work; 

12.   Volunteering for a class for which you already receive credit 

13.   Jobs and/or Employment (even if unpaid); 

14.   Fundraising for a club or sports team. 

15.  Volunteering at a sports camp that is associated with your sport or a counselor-in-training at a camp.

16.  Helping a teacher with grading or organizing their classroom. 

Note: Confirm with the NHS Advisor regarding activities not listed.