COMMUNITY SERVICE STUDENT HANDBOOK

KEYSTONE OAKS HIGH SCHOOL 1000 KELTON AVENUE
PITTSBURGH PA 15216

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The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidance for the student in fulfilling the 60 hours and ½ credit requirement for community service for the graduating classes of 2019 and beyond. Students transferring to Keystone Oaks must complete community service hours adjusted to the date of entry. Students may begin earning hours during the month of May of their 8th grade year.

What community service is and is not...
A student must provide a service for the common good where he/she derives no personal gain. Activities conducted within any given organization which are deemed purely social do not qualify. In all cases, the organization for which the student provides the service must be non-profit unless that organization is sponsoring a philanthropic project.

To be meaningful, community service must address a real need or problem found within the school or community. Students must be given the opportunity to select a service that reflects both the needs of the community and their personal interests and skills. In addition, quality community service requires an on-going commitment on the part of students. Hastily planned, short-term service does little to foster the purpose of community service: to provide service to the community and personal growth opportunities for students. The following criteria should be considered when a student selects a service:

	The service addresses a real community need or problem.
	The service affords the student the opportunity to provide meaningful and vital community service. 	The service allows the student to gain a greater understanding of the community need on which they
are working.
	The service reflects the student’s interests, talents, and abilities.
      The service provides the student with the opportunity to grow personally and academically.       The service provides the opportunity for continued participation during the student’s school
experience.

Students are encouraged to design their own community service.

The following is a list of general areas in which a student may accumulate community service hours. He/she is not limited to these areas, but it must be emphasized that all placements/activities must be approved prior to participation in order to gain credit.

Acceptable Activities:

	Volunteer at a hospital or nursing home 	Helper at a community library
	Involvement with any recognized charitable or service organization, i.e., Special Olympics 	Helping local immigrants with translation or other tasks
	Helping to plan and promote the Caring Program
	Helping with a borough-supported program such as a playground or swim program 	Mowing lawn to help a neighbor who is disabled or a senior citizen
	Participation in a summer camp, such as Camp Invention
	Participation in a community service project through a school club

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NOTE:

Participation in band and sports will not count towards community service

A highly recommended option for accruing community service hours is to support Special Olympics

Remember if you are in doubt, ask permission before you complete the hours. The validity of any questionable activity will be determined by the community service coordinator and/or the high school principal. The school principal will make the final determination as to acceptance of hours.

Community Service Options through School Clubs
Students can earn a total of 10 hours of community service per year for participating in approved clubs and extracurricular activities. Below are examples of some of the activities that clubs have participated in recently. Club activities may vary from year to year.

Academic Team & Science Club

Teddy Bear Holiday

The Caring Team

Students help support fundraising efforts and awareness of the Highmark Caring Place, a non-profit organization that supports grief awareness for children and their families, as well as other charitable organizations. The Caring Team teaches students about the importance of helping others, being a caring individual, spreading awareness of the missions of various organizations, and having an impact on someone else’s life during a difficult time. Here are a few of their activities:

	Powder Puff Football – collect donations, setup event, and raise awareness of Caring Place mission during the game. The game is held during a school night in November.
	Holiday Raffle – members are encouraged to talk/meet with local businesses after school hours to raise awareness of the Caring Place and request donations to be included in our annual holiday raffle.
	Teddy Bear Holiday – members attend the annual Teddy Bear Holiday event at the Salvation Army after school hours. They help with the event setup and distribution of the gifts to the children.
	Creativity For a Cause – members attend the annual Arts Festival and raise awareness and funds for a selected charitable organization (it has been the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the past). The Arts Festival is held during a school night in May.
	Monthly Meetings – members attend monthly meetings before school in order to plan, implement, and discuss events and opportunities to support the Highmark Caring Place and any charitable organization that may be suggested.

Environmental Club
Kids recycle paper and plastic throughout the high school the entire year, plant flowers with the Pittsburgh Western Conservancy in Green Tree for their beautification project, and raise money for endangered species.

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FBLA

Members of FBLA earn Community Service in a number of ways. They have organized fundraisers for local and state recognized charities. Every year the PA FBLA Organization selects a charity for which they will fundraise during the upcoming year. As a group, the PA FBLA chapters work to raise money for that designated charity. Also, we participate every year with the local Teddy Bear Holiday activity.

Forensics

	Planning to have some of the membership read their pieces to the residents of local nursing homes.

French Club

French Club's community service project is caroling at Kane Regional Center. Members spend about two hours preparing crafts for nursing home patients, one hour practicing singing, and two hours singing at the nursing home. The various parts of this project add up to approximately five hours of community service.

The Math Club

The Math Club offers yearly community service activities at the Harbour Living Center in Green Tree.

Medical/Health Careers Club

	Sponsored a Pink Out campaign. Together with KO Student Senate, we raised and donated seven hundred dollars to St. Clair Hospital’s Breast Care Center. We plan to make this an annual effort.
	Our club sponsored two of the children for the Salvation Army’s Teddy Bear Holiday during the holiday season. Several of our members attended the event as well.
	The club plans to sponsor the first KO mini THON, joining Penn State University’s fundraising efforts to help battle childhood cancer. The event is planned for late April or early May.

National Honor Society (NHS)

	All NHS students participate in “Holiday Cards for Heroes” in conjunction with the Salvation Army. Students write holiday cards for former veterans who are currently in hospitals, military members stationed abroad as well as local retired military personnel.
	Teddy Bear Holiday gift exchange in conjunction with Salvation Army. 	Junior Achievement Days at Aiken and Dormont Elementary.
	March Math Madness at Dormont Elementary 	Camp Invention at Dormont Elementary

Spanish Club

	Students in the Spanish Club make Christmas ornaments and crafts for residents of Kane Regional Nursing Home. The gifts are presented to the residents when the club visits the center to perform Christmas carols.
	The club also makes Christmas cards for students in the middle school. They deliver these along with candy canes so every student in grades 7 & 8 receives a treat.

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Student Senate Community Service Activities:

	Attend Leadership Conference to support healthy culture in the high school.
	Fundraise for St. Clair Hospital Research Foundation in school and at home football game – Raised over $1,000 over the last two years and have been awarded/recognized in hospital publications.
	Voter Drive – Encourage students age 18 or older to participate in the political process, and provide the resources and assistance to those who wish to sign up.
	Mock Election – School wide mock presidential election. Held every 4 years.
	Teddy Bear Holiday – Shop for children’s gifts and help host party at the Salvation Army every year. 	Deck the halls – Decorate the common areas of the school for the holiday.
	Cookies for Courage – Support our first responders with cookies at their stations.

Yearbook

	Students attend activities, such as the Faculty Kickball Game, Bonfire, and Powder Puff Football Game, to take pictures.
	Investigate and record all sports scores and student accomplishments. 	Identify students and organize club and activity picture day.

Service Opportunities – Immediate Neighborhood

For many students, community service is a new and sometimes frightening idea. They are not ready to become involved in an activity that will take them outside the confines of the school or their own neighborhood. Students who do not drive or who would rather walk to their placement site may wish to consider some of the following options in order to begin accumulating their service hours. This list is not exhaustive; other events may be offered in the communities.

CASTLE SHANNON BOROUGH

Castle Shannon Public Library
Summer help may be needed for children's programs.

Summer Recreation
Contact the borough office — 6 weeks beginning the third week of June (Applications may be picked up at the borough offices)

Castle Shannon Volunteer Fireman Fair Carnival work — the last week of July

Community Churches

Castle Shannon Community Day

Castle Shannon Youth Association

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Myrtle Elementary School
	Babysitting for evening PFO meetings 	Fun Day – March
	After school tutoring for students

The website for the Municipal Center is www.borouqh.castle-shannon.pa.us for updated information or for further opportunities that may become available.

DORMONT BOROUGH

Dormont Public Library

Dormont Day

Summer Recreation
Contact borough offices – 6 weeks beginning in June

Spring Clean-up

Spring House Tour

Halloween Party

Cookies with Santa

Easter Egg Hunt

Dormont Athletic Booster Association Baseball/Softball Programs
Contact Dormont Borough for further information

KOA Programs
Football, Cheerleading, Soccer

Community Churches

Dormont Elementary
	Babysitting for evening PFO meetings
	POF holiday craft show (first Saturday in December) 	After school tutoring for students

Contact the borough website at www.dormont.pa.us for updated information or further opportunities that may become available.

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BOROUGH OF GREEN TREE 
www.greentreeboro.com

Friends of the Green Tree Public Library
	First Saturday of each month: Assist in collection, evaluation, repacking and storage of book donations for annual used book sale.
	Book Sale: Assist in moving, unpacking and arranging books during set up, help customers with purchases during sale. Possibility of 3-15 hours.

Green Tree Borough
	Summer & Winter Recreation Programs, Halloween Happenings (October), Light Up Night (December), Independence Day (July), Senior Picnic (August), miscellaneous community events (yearlong) Octoberfest (first weekend in October), Farmer's Market (May-October)
	Conservancy Planting (May & October)
	Junior Council Person (Junior or Senior/ September — May) 	Assist residents with snow removal and yard maintenance

Green Tree Library
	Students scheduled with regular volunteers two hours per week. Assistance needed in: shelving books and keeping shelves in order, various library projects, i.e. cutting out shapes for Story Time.
	Summer opportunities include working with children in Summer Reading Program

Green Tree Volunteer Fire Company
	Assist Firefighters with upkeep of equipment and general maintenance of fire station and vehicles.

Green Tree Women's Civic Club
	Assistance needed with annual spring activity for children of the Borough and making of tap robes for veterans (March-April)
	Face Painting at Farmer's Market (June) and Octoberfest (October)

Historical Society of Green Tree
	Computer data entry, book shelf maintenance, exhibits,general office work, research, web site updates, preparing material for archives.
	Tuesday mornings and evenings as well as special occasions.

Keystone Oaks Area Soccer Club
	Assistant Coach; painting and maintaining fields; registration, and concession stand.

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Community Service Opportunities – Pittsburgh-Area Organizations

Students are encouraged to turn to the following types of organizations for community service opportunities. Organizations must be registered as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) non-profit organization in order to qualify for community service.

	United Way agencies/charities 	City/County Governments
	School Libraries
	Civic organizations
	Parks and Recreation Centers
	Convalescent homes/hospices/hospitals 	Cultural centers/museums
	Religious Organizations (excluding personal enrichment activities)

The following is a list organizations that have offered service opportunities to students. This is not an exhaustive list:

Allegheny Chapter of the American Red Cross Allegheny General Hospital
Humane Society
Asbury Heights Retirement Community Baptist Home – Castle Shannon
Boys’ and Girls’ Club – Carnegie Carnegie Science Center
Girl and Boy Scouts of America Goodwill Industries
Kane Nursing Facilities March of Dimes
Marion Manor Nursing Home Mt. Lebanon Trading Post Mercy Hospital
Muscular Dystrophy Association Pittsburgh Blind Association Pittsburgh Children’s Museum Ronald McDonald House Salvation Army
South Hills Health Systems South Hills Interfaith Ministries Southwest Services for Aging Special Olympics
St. Clair Hospital
Sunrise Assisted Living – Green Tree UPMC

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KEYSTONE OAKS HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR OF SERVICE: _______________

STUDENT’S NAME (PLEASE PRINT):________________________________

Homeroom Number: ______________ Year of Graduation: _______________ Home Phone: ________________________________________

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST COMPLETE ALL INFORMATION TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT FOR THE HOURS INDICATED BELOW. FAILURE TO PROPERLY COMPLETE THIS FORM MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF HOURS. ALSO, COMPLETED FORMS MUST BE TURNED IN TO MRS. BETH SMITH.

DATE
	HOURS
	LOCATION
	
ACTIVITY
	SUPERVISOR’S NAME & PHONE NUMBER
	
SUPERVISOR’S SIGNATRE

						

						

Please reflect on how the community service activities in which you participated impacted you. Use the reverse side or additional sheets of paper if necessary.

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