Ward Melville High School
President’s Volunteer Service Award
Service to Others without Distinction
Dear Student:
America has a long, proud tradition of volunteer service. Now more than ever, volunteers are renewing their commitment to helping others and making new connections that bring us closer together as families, as neighbors, as communities, and as a Nation.
Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service to others. It encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation and inspires others to make volunteering a central part of their lives. The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard—measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
What is a Record of Service?
Attached to this letter is a Record of Service log. A Record of Service is an account of your volunteer experiences and time dedicated to the call to service. You maintain your personal record of activities serving your neighbor, your community, your country and the world. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes service completed from May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2008. Should you wish to submit your Record of Service logs for this academic year, log sheets must be turned into Mrs. Crispino by May 1, 2008.
Students are also invited to use these logs for future service projects for the May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009 school year should you choose to pursue service goals for next year.
Goals
The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes students who achieve a certain standard – measured by the number of hours served over a 12-month period.
Students 15 years & older are required to complete in one year
§ 100 hours of volunteer service – Bronze medal
§ 175 hours of volunteer service – Silver medal
§ 250 hours of volunteer service – Gold medal
Award recipients receive
· an official President’s Volunteer Service Award pin;
· a personalized certificate of achievement;
· a note of congratulations from the President of the United States; and
· a letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic.
This nationally recognized award will be an impressive addition to your school record and college application which will also be valued by District officials in the Three Villages.
Types of service that WILL be certified include
§ volunteer service hours dedicated to your school
(e.g., student government, National Honor Society, Tri-M, SADD)
§ volunteer service hours affiliated with religious centers (e.g., youth groups, soup kitchens, beach clean up), and
§ volunteer service hours in support of your community (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, hospitals, schools, veteran home)
All of these may be counted toward President’s Volunteer Service Award requirements.
Types of service that WILL NOT be certified as service include
§ paid activities,
§ activities done for relatives, and
§ any meetings that do not include actual service.
For additional Record of Service logs, visit Mrs. Crispino in the main office. Please feel free to email questions to Mrs. Rose Tant at , inserting “PSVA” on the email subject line.
For additional information on the overall program, visit http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/ to learn more about the award program and community service.
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