High School Community Service Guidelines

Union Academy is dedicated to strong community relationships and awareness, both locally and globally. We want everyone associated with our school to feel a sense of community. We believe that our students will be much better prepared for life and become better contributing citizens by participating in community service and learning at every grade level.

Students will complete at least 10 service hours each year with community organizations. The remainder of the required hours may also be completed at a community organization OR in meaningful volunteer service. All hours for 9th-11th grade students must be submitted by the last day of school to be counted. 12th grade students must submit their hours at an earlier date and will be notified yearly of their submission deadline. All 105 hours must be completed in order to participate in graduation. Students who double the required number of service hours (210+) will be recognized at graduation.

Service hours logs for 9th -11th grade students run from the day after school ends through the last day of school.

Service hour logs for seniors run the day after school ends through a TBD in May. 

MobileServe Codes for students:

• Class of 2025: 10BF08
• Class of 2024: 9370FE
• Class of 2023: 50914A.
• Class of 2022: FC0E36

Click here for more details on MobileServe and how it works.

Class of 2024 Instructional Video for MobileServe

Guidelines/Expectations

Hours

• 9th grade: At least 15 service-learning hours
• Minimum of 10 hours of community-based service with a non-profit organization NOT associated with Union Academy. If the 10 non-profit hours are not completed by the last day of the school year, those hours convert to volunteer hours and the next year the student will need to complete 20 non-profit hours in addition to the required volunteer hours.
• Minimum of 5 hours of other volunteer service  
• Reflection form must be completed by the last day of school.
• 10th, 11th, 12th grade: At least 30 service-learning hours per year
• Minimum of 10 hours of community-based service with a non-profit organization NOT associated with Union Academy. If the 10 non-profit hours are not completed by the last day of the school year, those hours convert to volunteer hours and the next year the student will need to complete 20 non-profit hours in addition to the required 10 non-profit and volunteer hours for that year.
• Minimum of 20 hours of other volunteer service
• Even if a student has already reached 105 hours, he/she is still required to do the 10 non profit hours each year.
• Students are required to complete a written yearly reflection before receiving credit for their hours for the year.
• NO DOUBLED HOURS WILL BE AWARDED.
• Because recognition is given to individuals who reach two times the required service hours and also to the student who completes the most volunteer service, it is unfair to give double hours.
• If you are offered double hours, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator.  This practice has been discontinued and requests will not be honored.

Methods

• Set up a Mobileserve account
• See instructions below.
• Enter your hours
• You can begin recording hours for the next school year beginning the day after graduation.
• Be Timely
• Enter your hours as soon as possible.  This allows time for supervisors to certify your volunteer work.
• Be Trustworthy
• You are responsible for reporting only the hours that you actually spend volunteering.
• Be specific and detailed in your “Story” of your volunteer work
• Although you don’t have to write a paragraph, include specific tasks (in bullet form if you like) and specific dates.
• Name a supervisor
  • A parent may NOT be the supervisor for his/her own child. If your parent is the supervisor of a volunteer organization, please use an alternative adult (superior or assistant) as your supervisor.
• You must ALWAYS name a supervisor on your Mobileserve entries.
• Include the supervisor’s e-mail
  • An email is sent out to the supervisor. When the supervisor returns the email with a signature, the volunteer work is certified and counted toward your total.
  • Note: The returned signature must match the supervisor.
• Volunteer entries without an email address will not be certified
• Review your hours
• From time to time check in on your hours. Approved hours will be indicated with a green check.
• Follow up on unapproved hours in a timely manner
• Complete your Reflection Form
  • Only one reflection form is required even if you served at more than one organization.
  • If the reflection form is NOT completed, your hours will NOT be counted.
• You must reflect on your experience for the 10 hours served with community-based organizations and your overall volunteer experience.

General Guidelines

• Have a willingness to work
• Showing up is only part of volunteering. Be engaged and active during your volunteer time.
• Limit phone use while volunteering
• Be engaged and attentive to the job at hand.
• Have a positive attitude
• Remember, we are a school of character--be a good representative.
• Don’t Forget your CARROT PI(E)
• Compassion
• Adaptability
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Optimism
• Trustworthiness
• Perseverance
• Initiative
• Everyday!  
• Every time you volunteer, you represent UA. You can be the one who makes an impact on someone’s day--make it a positive one!

Community-based hours

• You can earn your community-based hours at non-profits NOT associated with Union Academy.

Volunteering at a place of worship

• Participation in a religious service does not count as volunteer hours; however, providing a service within the organization that is not a part of the services may be considered.
  • Ex. Your Church Youth Group goes to help at Operation Christmas Child. Record this as volunteering for Operation Christmas Child.  
• Babysitting/nursery at the facility so that others may attend the service may be counted as volunteer hours.
• Collecting offerings or singing in a service would not be counted.
• Community service organized by a place of worship for another organization should be recorded as service to the other organization-
• When in doubt, get clarification from the Volunteer Coordinator.

Babysitting or pet-sitting

• Babysitting or pet-sitting/fostering does not count as volunteering except under the following conditions:
• Babysitting counts when it is done without pay for an organization such as a church nursery, or Turning Point.

Volunteering with UAA or the UA Foundation

• Great! Your hours will count toward the “other” category.  Although both are non-profit organizations, they are not considered part of the community-based service because they are part of Union Academy. One of the goals of the community service requirement is to make a difference in the larger community beyond our school.

Mission trips or other overnight volunteer service

• Mission trips/overnight volunteering will be counted at a maximum of 8 hours per day.
• Unlike parent volunteering, travel and sleeping time are not counted for mission trips.
• If you are truly doing volunteer work longer than 8 hours per day, please provide a detailed and specific explanation, including times and dates, and have the supervisor verify.