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Christian Service
Graduation Requirement
Christian Service is based on a faith response to the Gospel's call to care and serve our world and God's people in need, including: the sick and suffering, children, the elderly, the economically poor, the marginalized, and those who are developmentally disabled or physically challenged. Because this component of faith is so important, each student must log a minimum number of direct service hours through her Theology classes. This yearly minimum number of direct service hours is a requirement to complete the class as well as to graduate.
St. Francis High School monitors a number of Core Service Programs and the student may also serve in other pre-approved non-profit agencies. Only the time spent in direct interaction with agency clientele is logged. (All types of service are encouraged and of value, yet the graduation requirement is focused on direct service in non-profit agencies working with those in need.) Direct service hours must be logged within six months of service. If the student fails to meet her yearly requirement she will receive an incomplete in her Theology class; and if the incomplete is not remedied, she will not graduate.
The basic process:
1. Student selects a Core Program or seeks pre-approval for another site from her Theology teacher.
2. Student maintains her direct Service Log, collecting the necessary information and signatures.
3. Student submits her Service Log to her Theology teacher.
4. Theology teachers will lead their students through service reflections.
"It is our hope that through your various experiences of service, you will be inspired to respond to the needs of others on a deeper, more personal level. We hope that you find and create a project that uses your interests, talents, and skills to help make someone's life and community better."
~Christian Service Leadership Workbook
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Christian Service Deadlines for the 2009-10 School Year
Seniors: Due by February 1, 2010
Frosh, Sophomores and Juniors : Due by May 3, 2010
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Time Logs, and other information may be downloaded in the box below.
If a student is not sure of what service to do, come to the Campus Life Center (CLC) and visit Ms. Tanya Davis, our Christian Service Coordinator. Ms. Davis can provide many ideas and inspiration.
An Emphasis on Service
"God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."
~Romans 12: 6-8
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With an excited group of leaders to light the way to fulfilling all community service hours and more, the process can certainly be an enjoyable one. As a whole, the service program encourages students to enjoy community service and not do it only because it is a graduation requirement. St. Francis relies on giving of ourselves, through community service, as an essential component of the educational development it offers.
We have new programs for more opportunities for service and different strategies to get involved:
- Get involved early. Try not to wait until the day before the deadline to get the hours done. If you do them over a period of time, you will start to make a personal connection with those who you are serving. This makes the service process more fun and you will even start to look forward to that time every week. If one has to do hours, why not have a great time while doing it? So, try to immerse yourself in service and get the best experience out of it, by doing it early and frequently.
- Choose wisely. Not every agency is right for every person. The last thing we want is for you to have had a bad experience serving somewhere and be scared to serve again. Thus, we offer many opportunities with different agencies so everyone finds something they like. Try not to pick an agency just because it seems easy to get your hours done. Choose a program that allows you to step out of your comfort zone and immerse yourself in the surroundings; that way, you will know how it feels to truly serve. Also, we recommend that a good portion of the students’ service be direct service (face to face) with those in need.
- Serve with a group. Whether this group is friends or family, serving with familiar faces may make you more relaxed and therefore give of yourself more. Doing service is important and it does not specifically matter how it is done. So if you do one big service project with your family every year or go twice a week to tutor a child, you are giving and that is what counts. Serving isn’t just our way to graduate; it’s also our way of life.
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