As part of the TJC Promise, students are required to complete community service hours each year they are enrolled in the Promise Program during high school.

 

Why is community service important?

Community service has a number of important benefits. Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active members of their community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills and knowledge, as well as provide a service to those who need it most. Volunteering increases overall life satisfaction, increases social awareness and responsibility. Volunteering helps students enhance their personal knowledge, grow from new experiences, and develop better interpersonal communication skills.

 

How is community service defined for the TJC Promise?

Community service is defined as participation in the community outside of school. Service hours are on a volunteer basis and do not include activities where the student is a participant (community sports leagues) or where he or she receives any type of compensation. This includes monetary compensation, service hours performed to earn extra credit for a class grade or to earn a reward such as a trip, prize or other non-monetary gift. The only exception is any service activity associated with the Boy/Girl Scouts or similar organizations whereby the student is recognized with a badge or similar type of award or recognition.

 

·       The following are examples of eligible community service:

>   Volunteering at a soup kitchen.

>   Helping build a house with Habitat for Humanity.

 

·       The following are NOT examples of community service:

>   Cleaning out your neighbors’ garage.

>   Playing baseball in a community league.

 

How many hours of service am I required to complete each year?

• Promise seniors in the graduating class of 2024 will need to submit 10 hours of community service by April 30th of their senior year.
  
  
• Promise students in all other cohorts will have until April 30th of their senior year to submit a total of 25 community service hours.

How do I document my community service hours?

Beginning with the spring semester of your sophomore year, you will need to input your community service hours into this online Community Service Verification form. For Promise seniors graduating in the spring of 2024, 10 hours will need to be submitted by April 30th. Students in all other Promise cohorts will have until April 30th of their senior year to submit a total of 25 community service hours. You will receive a verification email after each submission. Duplicate entries will not be included.