Service Program
| Service Hour Form |  |
Beginning with the Class of 2014, Duchesne students must complete 100 hours of Christian service before graduation.
One of the goals of our Christian service program is to help clarify the subtle difference between volunteering and truly serving the community. The main benefit students should receive from a service activity is the experience of sharing the gift of self with others.
Before starting a project, consult the list of questions below to see whether your activity meets Duchesne's recommendations for Christian service hours. Our hope is that the spirit of the service provided will be rooted in Christian values and reach out to those in need. If you are still unsure whether your project will be considered volunteer work or service work, we encourage you to ask in advance. You can contact Mrs. Jan Haug, community service coordinator, at jhaug@duchesne-hs.org.
If you answer "yes" to the following questions, your project probably qualifies as Christian service:
Does the work benefit someone who cannot perform the tasks himself or herself?
Does the work require generosity of time and/or talent?
Does the work impact the community in a positive manner?
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, your project probably does not qualify as Christian service:
Does the work normally involve payment to you or others?
Does the work benefit a group you belong to (such as a fundraiser to purchase team or pay for a trip)?
Is this work required as training or an internship for future employment?
Is this work a requirement for a position you hold (such as club president, troop leader or team captain)?
Is this work benefiting someone who does have the ability to pay for the service (such as filing papers in a lawyer's office or working for a parent's business)?
Is this work considered practice time for another activity (such as practicing a musical instrument to be played at Mass)?
Is this work part of your normal responsibilities as a family member (such as babysitting a younger sibling or other household chores)?
Our ultimate goal is to teach students to reach out to people who need help and, hopefully, to work with groups outside their comfort zone. Some students' hours have not been accepted because they do not meet Duchesne's standard of Christian service - serving those who cannot do the work for themselves. We've also provided some basic examples of hours accepted versus hours declined:
Hours accepted: Working at a fundraising event for a charity or non-profit organization
Hours declined: Working at a fundraising event to pay for your soccer team's upcoming tournament
Hours accepted: Working after school in the office of a charity or other non-profit organization
Hours declined: Working for free instead of taking a paycheck at your after-school job
Hours accepted: Mowing the lawn for your handicapped neighbor
Hours declined: Mowing the lawn for your parents
Hours accepted: Time spent working at an overnight service project (up to 40 hours)
Hours declined: Time spent sleeping or in recreation at an overnight project
Remember that adult signatures and phone numbers are required on each service form. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Haug or consult the service section of the Duchesne Web site.
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