The President's Volunteer Service Award

Yes, Zooming thru Music is a President's Volunteer Service Award certifying organization for New Jersey families. 

As of Spring of 2025, Zooming thru Music is set a service year according to academic schedule to better align the needs of the organization and our school-aged volunteers. Our service year runs from May 1 to May 31.  Zooming thru Music orders awards once per year (usually in June) for volunteers aged 19 and younger, according to PVSA age requirements.

The PVSA has three levels based on the number of service hours completed within a year: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The required hours vary by age group. Youth should be counted in the age group they are in for the majority of the service year, which for Zooming thru Music runs from May 1 to May 31. Please see the table above for the required number of hours for each age group.

Additionally, the Lifetime Achievement Award requires 4,000+ hours of service for all ages. 

Unfortunately, we cannot modify our service year to fit individual needs, but you may be able to find another certifying organization that works for you. 

You will need to apply it to receive the award (please see the steps above). If you have volunteer hours from outside organizations you’d like included in your records, please see the FAQ on submitting outside service hours completed during the relevant service year. 

You can check your volunteer history of your record and get back to us. Attendance is recorded as you fill out the form at a Zooming thru Music activity, so you should see those hours reflected in your totals. 

We do accept hours from outside organizations, however, each volunteer must meet a minimum number of hours via Zooming thru Music in order for us to apply on your behalf. These requirements are set by age group (see below).

Kids (5-10 years) At least 13 hours with Zooming thru Music

Teens (11-15) At least 25 hours with Zooming thru Music

Young Adults (16-19) At least 50 hours with Zooming thru Music

Because our service year begins June 1st, we will begin accepting outside hours that are both completed and submitted after that date.  Hours served before that date are not eligible for submission at any time. Outside hours must also be deemed as eligible according to  the President's Volunteer Service Award guidelines. 

Proof of hours served must be provided on letterhead or an official document from the partner agency. This documentation should confirm that the service hours have been completed. Please note that confirmation emails to participate in upcoming activities are not accepted as verification of hours served. 

We ask that hours served for other organizations that are not coordinated through Zooming thru Music be reported using our PVSA Outside Hours form.  Please allow 2-3 weeks for the hours to appear on your account. 

These forms may be closed occasionally throughout our service year while we are processing submissions. Please hold submissions during these times and check back in a few weeks. 

In order to meet requirements of the PVSA award, volunteer hours must be recorded in a timely fashion using our PVSA Outside Hours form.

Outside service hours may be submitted quarterly to be considered for the PVSA. Please see below for specific dates.

• June-August outside hours should be submitted by September 14th.

• September-November outside hours should be submitted by December 14th.

• December-February outside hours should be submitted by March 14th.

• March-May outside hours should be submitted by June 14th.

PVSA Outside Hour forms are entered manually. Please allow up to 2-3 weeks for processing. 

Please make sure to read the President's Volunteer Service Award guidelines to ensure that your outside service hours are eligible under their guidelines for qualified activities.

Proof of hours served must be provided on letterhead or an official document from the partner agency. This documentation should confirm that the service hours have been completed. Please note that confirmation emails to participate in upcoming activities are not accepted as verification of hours served. 

Example: “This letter is to certify that ____________ performed ___ hours of service for [Organization Name] between the dates of ______ and _______.”

To streamline the certification process and reduce unnecessary administrative work, we kindly request that volunteers assess their accumulated hours periodically throughout the year. If, by the end of the service year, it becomes evident that the minimum hour requirements for the next relevant PVSA level will not be met, we encourage you to consider whether submitting those hours is essential. This approach helps us focus our resources on processing certifications efficiently and ensures that volunteers receive timely recognition for their achievements.