Embedded Files
What is Service?
What is Service?
Service is considered to be those actions that are done with or on behalf of others without any direct financial or material compensation for an organized group within your community or school.
Service hours can and should be completed in a variety of areas showing your well rounded participation in the community.
The service hours should not be completed in a short period of time but rather over the year prior to your application submission.
NJHS Service Guidelines
NJHS Service Guidelines
Prospective members should complete at least twenty (20) hours of community service over the course of the 10 months prior to their application to become a member. Twenty hours of service are the minimum number of hours accepted.
For 7th grade applicants, Service Hours may be counted from May of their 6th grade year until March of their 7th grade year
For 8th grade applicants, Service Hours may be counted from May of their 7th grade year until March of their 8th grade year
It is encouraged that you seek out additional hours and document them to further demonstrate your heart for service. This also ensures you have enough service hours in case some of your original 20 hours do not count (because they didn't follow the guidelines).
You may not include more than 5 hours in any one type of service or event.
For example, you may use more than 5 hours volunteering for Hope and Friendship as long as they are different events and types of service.
You may not use more than 5 hours volunteering as a youth sports referee, even for different sports and organizations.
Acceptable Service
Acceptable Service
a. Any volunteer work for any community agency, such as the Red Cross, a homeless shelter, residents of Senior citizens communities, civil defense, fire department, Girl/Boy Scouts, or church activity if it deals with a community function (e.g., caroling at a nursing home)
b. Recycling drives
c. Volunteering at the local library
d. Volunteering at OQMS open house
e. Volunteering at Parent/Teacher conferences
f. Helping PTO at functions
g. Helping the school librarian after school hours
h. Assisting teachers and staff members at school after school hours
i. Volunteering with the Hope & Friendship Network
j. Any activity approved in writing by the NJHS Chapter Advisors
Unacceptable Service
Unacceptable Service
a. Any activity in which you are paid with money or favors, even if the job is in the acceptable category.
b. Any activity in which you directly help at a family member, relative, neighbor, or friend’s place of employment.
c. Any activity in which you directly help a family member, relative, neighbor, or friend, such as babysitting, snow removal, housekeeping, paperwork, yard work, etc.
d. Attending church is not a service activity unless the particular function involves a community charity.
e. Alter Serving or participation in the church choir should be included as an activity, NOT service.
f. Being a manager for a team at OQ does not count as service, but rather as an activity.
Where can I find service hour opportunities?
Where can I find service hour opportunities?
Lemont Public Library often has service hour opportunities available. Just stop in and ask one of the staff members what you can do to earn service hours!
Lemont Hope & Friendship offers many opportunities throughout the year! Visit the webpage for upcoming opportunities!
Feed My Starving Children is a great event to earn service hours and help communities in another part of the world!
Old Quarry's Morning Announcements: Every teacher shares the morning announcements with their classes. Students that pay attention and listen to/read the announcement will often hear of opportunities for service hours.
Old Quarry Teachers: Students may earn service hours performing tasks for teachers after school. These tasks can include cleaning, organization, helping put up bulletin boards, etc.. Students that perform these tasks during school will not earn service hours since the hours were performed during the school day (7:30-2:30).
Smithsonian Digital Volunteers is one of the few opportunities for virtual service hours. If you find other virtual service opportunties, please ask to see if they are approved.
The Old Quarry Middle School Chapter of National Junior Honor Society is run by:
Mrs. Megan Ehn mehn@sd113a.org
Ms. Megan O'Neill moneill@sd113a.org
Report abuse