New Community Service Initiative for HHS Freshmen
Incoming Huntington High School freshmen are being asked to complete ten hours of volunteer community service activities by the end the 2012/13 school year.
"Over the last decade it has become clear that colleges and employers, in deciding acceptance or employment, take into account not only young adults' academic success but also, and sometimes most importantly, the kind of commitment they have made to supporting charitable/service agencies and organizations," Principal Carmela Leonardi said in a letter to parents.
Dr. Leonardi said the community service initiative grew out of a recommendation from the school's shared decision-making committee, adding it has the support of the building's professional staff. The plan is to phase in community service for every grade level over the next four years.
Freshmen will be asked to keep track of their community service hours and submit a record sheet to their respective guidance counselor by the end of the third marking period. Any missing hours can be completed during the remaining weeks of the school year. Freshmen reaching the volunteer goal will have a notation placed on their report cards/transcripts indicating they have completed ten hours of community service activities.
The record sheet that students are being asked to submit will include an area for the signature of an adult supervising the community service activity. "Community service activities sponsored by the district through clubs, honor societies, organizations or teams are listed on the community service e-board created for this purpose," Dr. Leonardi said.
Freshmen are not limited to school organizations when seeking to reach the desired ten hours of volunteer activities. "Students, with their parents' consent, can use other service for credit," Dr. Leonardi said. "Such service may include volunteering at local organizations such as senior centers, hospitals, soup kitchens, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc."
The community service initiative was discussed with freshmen and their parents during an orientation program at Huntington High School on Thursday, August 30.