Service hours should be submitted to your school counselor on letterhead from the place where you performed your service, along with a reflection log. Letters must include your name and number of hours you completed. Remember to make a copy for yourself and turn the letters into your grade specific counselor. Florida Academic Scholar/Bright Futures (the 100% award) requires 100 hours of non-paid service to the community. For 75% of the scholarship, 75 hours are required. All service hours are due to your grade specific counselor no later than January of your graduation year. There is not a service hour requirement for graduation.
SB1060 states that paid work hours can now count for Bright Future Service Hours. Students choosing to use paid work hours must submit their official pay stub with the number of hours indicated, along with a reflection log so they can be logged by their grade specific counselor. All hours are due no later than January of your graduation year.
Download the Community Service Hours Reflection Log here. SJCSD Community Service Guidelines can be found here.
Don’t wait until your senior year to do this…..get your 100 hours in early and be able to relax!! Don’t forget to make a copy of them and then turn them into your grade appropriate counselor.
Steps to Successful Volunteering
· Aim to complete 25 hours of community service or paid work hours each year of high school to have the 100 hours needed for the Bright Futures Academic Scholarship.
· Service hours for Bright Futures will count starting the summer before 9th grade. Any hours completed before that time will not count towards the Bright Futures Scholarship.
· Community service hours are not a requirement to graduate high school but can be helpful to students in discovering careers of interest, demonstrating leadership skills for resumes and scholarships, and most importantly, giving back to their community.
· Community service projects should benefit the entire community. This means that community service for events such as dances, carnivals, festivals, summer programs, etc. must be open to everyone, including those outside of a neighborhood or organization, and not require payment to participate in the event.
· Service completed must be done under the supervision of a staff member who is not related to the student and at a service location outside of the student’s home. For example, fostering animals, hosting a foreign exchange student, or turning in supplies, canned goods, etc. to claim hours are not eligible activities.
Other websites for volunteer ideas: