EDINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Community Service Letter Requirements● Grades 9-12

2013-2014

Goals of the Community Service Letter Program:

  • Students will learn about themselves and their community through active service to others.
  • Students will be able to apply their knowledge to help solve real community problems.
  • Students will understand the Edina Public Schools’ Core Values.
  • Students will learn problem-solving skills.
  • Students will learn to evaluate their own work.

Student Requirements:

  1. 120 Hours of Community Service
  2. Two Recommendations
  3. Reflection Project Presentation
  4. Interview
  5. Digital Photo
  6. Chemical-free

Dates and Deadlines:

By Friday, March 28, 2014

  • Submit a folder containing the following completed items:
  • Community Service Hours Log
  • Two Recommendations (pre-written forms or letters)
  • Schedule an Interview with Rachael Pream Grenier

By Friday, May 2, 2014

  • Interview
  • Reflection Project Presentation - bring to interview

Be prepared to present and discuss your reflection project as part of the interview.

  • Digital Photo

Photos can be emailed to or brought to interview.

Thursday, May 29, 2014 - Community Service Letter Recognition Program

Students and their families are invited to attend a recognition program for service letter recipients. The celebration will be held the morning of Thursday, May29 at 7 a.m. at EdinaHigh School.

Questions:

Ask Rachael Pream Grenier, the Youth Development-Youth Service Manager at EdinaHigh School, if there are questions/concerns regarding the letter in community service. Rachael’s office is in Room 231 at EdinaHigh School. She can also be reached at 952-848-3124 or via email

Edina Public Schools Core Values - Drivers of our words and actions

IntegrityActing consistently on our shared values even when no one is watching or listening

ExcellenceProviding our highest levels of service and leadership without exception or excuse

InnovationMaximizing opportunities and minimizing risks through cooperation, collaboration and creativity

HumanityAppreciation, respect and integration of our diversity and similarity as gifts and strengths

PartnershipAll stakeholders working through the tough issues and opportunities by placing learners first and developing shared interests around their needs and achievement

Community Service LetterRequirements ● 2013-2014 ● More Information:

Student Requirement #1: 120 hours of service

Students may use community service completed through Youth Serving Youth or community organizations such as their church, synagogue, or scout troop. Or students may arrange individual service opportunities with community agencies of their choice.

Service hours are cumulative from grades 9-12. Students can carry hours over to the next year if they exceed 120 hours or if they do not complete 120 hours in a given year.

Singing in the church choir and being an acolyte, though valuable experiences, do not count as service. Questions regarding whether or not something qualifies as service may be directed to Rachael Pream Grenier.

Students volunteering on a mission trip or camp should only count hours when they are engaged in service. Sleeping hours do not count.

Hours must be submitted in a log format to Rachael Pream Grenier by March 28, 2014, along with two recommendations.

Student Requirement #2:Recommendations

Students will submit two completed recommendations (pre-written forms or letters are acceptable) from agencies or individuals served that describe the volunteer work completed and the student’s attitude and competence.Recommendations are to be written by a non-relative who is familiar with the student’s service work.

Recommendations must be submitted to Rachael Pream Grenier by March 28, 2014, along with the service log.

Student Requirement #3:Reflection Project

Students will complete a reflection project to be brought to and shared at the service letter interview, both to be completed by Friday, May 2, 2014.

The reflection project is designed to use a higher level of thinking, combined with another interest of the student.The project is an opportunity for students to reflect on their service and share their service experience with others.

Project ideas:

  • Create a work of art – a painting, a song, a sculpture, etc.
  • Write a research paper focusing on an aspect of the service (i.e. someone from Project Earth wrote a paper on an environmental threat)
  • Construct a collage/display board/scrapbook/PowerPoint including pictures, description of service experiences, thoughts, feelings, etc… poetry is welcome!
  • Write and illustrate a children’s book
  • Give a presentation on an issue your service addressed

Time spent on the project is in addition to the 120 hours of community service.

Student Requirement #4: Interview

Students will share personal experiences and reflections on community service during an interview at which they will be asked several questions about their service experiences. Reflection projects will also be discussed at the interview.

Students must schedule the interview with Rachael Pream Grenier by March 28, 2014 and have completed the interview by May 2, 2014. Contact Rachael at or 952-848-3124 to schedule.

Student Requirement #5: Photo

Students will submit a photo of them doing service (preferably in digital format) to be used in a slideshow at the recognition ceremony. Photos can be emailed to brought to the interview on a flash drive.

Student Requirement #6: Chemical-Free

EDINA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Community Service Letter Requirements - Recommendation Form

Student Name:

Recommender Name:

Title:

Contact information (email/phone):

Name of organization where service was completed:

Please describe service completed by the student:

Please describe student performance:

Do you recommend the student to receive a community service letter for his/her service work?

____ yes____ no

______

SignatureDate

EDINAPUBLIC SCHOOLSSTUDENT’S NAME: ______Email: ______

COMMUNITY SERVICE LETTER LOG(due Friday, March 28, 2014)

*Dates for individual service organizations may be combined, providing a lump sum of service for that organization.

Please list start date to end date when doing this.

Date(s):Organization:Work Completed:# of Hours:Supervisor’s Name:Email or Phone#:

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______

______