Service

List of 3 items.

• Basic Requirements

  Hours Required: 12 hours total. (Students may volunteer a maximum of five hours at Bishop Blanchet events, regardless of who is served by the events.)

  
  

  BBHS students may volunteer with any approved nonprofit organization that addresses the needs of the following four focus areas:

  
  

  • Animals and the environment
  • Children (middle school age or younger)
  • The elderly, individuals with physical or intellectual challenges or people (or their family) living with illness
  • People experiencing hunger, homelessness or poverty. 

  
  

  If students wish to volunteer with an organization not on the list of approved nonprofits, they must submit the Approval Request Form.

  
  

  Additionally, BBHS students may propose self-directed service projects that serve populations in the four focus areas. Students must request approval for self-directed projects by submitting the Self-Directed Service Approval Request Form. Students may choose to undertake self-directed service projects individually or in collaboration with other BBHS students. If students choose to work in small groups, current social distancing guidelines as outlined by state and local government officials must be observed. 

  
  

  Please note: Previously, providing help to family members was not an acceptable form of service for the BBHS Service Program. Given the extraordinary nature of this pandemic, BBHS will lift that policy for the 2020-2021 academic year. Additionally for the 20-21 school year, parents/guardians may verify service hours for self-directed student projects.

• General Expectations

  This school year, each Blanchet student will complete 12 hours of service under the direction of nonprofit organizations or in self-directed service projects. (Students may volunteer for a maximum of five hours at Bishop Blanchet events, such as the Brave Venture Auction, Brave Welcome, Open House, Phone-A-Thon, etc. regardless of who is served by that event.) Service hours must be entered on NobleHour by May 3, 2021.

  
  
  

  • Students may not miss school to earn service hours
  • Students will not be approved for more than 4 service hours on a school night or 8 hours on a non-school day.
  • Self-directed service projects are acceptable during the 2020-2021 academic year. Prior to initiating the project, students must submit the Self-Directed Service Project Approval Request Form.
  • Family members may verify service hours for Self-Directed Service Projects during the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • Students may volunteer with any organization on the pre-approved list of nonprofit organizations. Any organization not on the approved list will need to be reviewed by the Service Coordinator (this is done via submitting the Nonprofit Approval Request Form). 

  Service hours must be entered on NobleHour within 2 weeks of volunteering. Once service hours have been entered, an email is sent to the supervisor for verification. After the supervisor verifies the hours, the hours will need to be approved by the Bishop Blanchet Service Coordinator. This means that the Service Coordinator accepted that the student did service which meets the requirements. Students will receive email notifications from NobleHour when hours have been approved or denied.

   

  To receive credit for a completed service requirement in the 2020-2021 academic year, students must have 12 hours of approved service completed and entered on NobleHour by May 3, 2021. Additionally, students must participate in 3 online service reflections scheduled during the school year.

• Examples of Self-Directed Service Projects

  • weeding or gardening for an elderly neighbor or grandparent
  • recording an interview with an elderly friend or relative about their life
  • picking up trash at a park 
  • walking a dog for quarantined or impaired family, friends or neighbors
  • creating motivational artwork for first responders, nursing home residents and/or health care workers
  • virtual tutoring for elementary or middle school students
  • supporting the learning of a younger family member
  • serving as a pen pal or phone buddy for an isolated elderly person (nursing homes or your place of worship may have ideas of people that could use extra care right now) 
  • organizing a sock, sleeping bag or food drive among your family and friends (before organizing a drive, please reach out to a shelter or food bank to inquire about their needs)

  
  

  Please Note: Time spent planning or securing supplies for your project may be included as part of your service hours.