Community Service Guidelines

All students must complete 40 community service hours to graduate from Aptos High School.

Ten hours are required per each year in school. Students cannot be credited with more than 10 hours per year with the exception of the senior year.

The Community Service requirement is meant to foster an ethic of volunteerism that is part of everyday life where the volunteering is integrated and balanced with other obligations. For this reason students may not earn credit for community service during summer vacation.

Community service hours are defined as hours spent working for a non-profit group, or organization that benefits the community. You cannot be paid for compensated for these hours in any way. 

Community Service Activities (These count for Community Service):

•   Volunteering for non-profit groups such as schools, youth organizations, beach clean-up organizations, church groups, etc.;
•   Creating your own community service projects! Design your own and have a teacher or staff member be your advisor;
•   Fundraising for non-profit organizations like the Red Cross, American Cancer Society, or others;
•   After hours school-related volunteering, such as helping out with back-to-school night, Freshman orientation, volunteering with a teacher after-school, etc. You may only count 10 of these hours towards your 40 hour requirement.

Non-Community Service Activities (These DO NOT count):

•   Class assignments and field trips.
•   School fundraising activities for clubs, sports teams, or other group;
•   Activities for which you are PAID
•  Working for “free” for a friend or family member’s business.
• Court-mandated community service OR community service that is required as part of a class;

If you need help in finding a place or coming up with ideas, please see your counselor.

Document your hours using the

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS VERIFICATION FORM

Remember to have your Community Service Adviser sign the Community Service Hours Verification Form and then submit the completed form to your Tutorial Teacher.