Community Service for Success Scholar Award
The CISD Success Scholars Program encourages students to take a challenging curriculum, as defined in the grade 9-12 CISD Academic Planning Guide, and to perform 100 hours of approved community service during high school while maintaining a 70 or higher average in each course. Students fulfilling these criteria will be locally recognized as Success Scholars upon graduation from high school.
Students completing these standards who successfully maintain an end-of-course average of 70 or higher will be recognized individually and as a group upon graduation from high school. *Some additional flexibility is available under specific circumstances. Though the State of Texas may recognize Computer Science as a “Language Other than English” for purposes of graduation, many colleges do not recognize Computer Science as a traditional World Language and may not accept it as one for admission requirements into their university.
SUCCESS SCHOLARS COMMUNITY SERVICE Q & A
What is it? Students serve the community through approved volunteer activities. Students receive no compensation, monetary or otherwise.
Who has to do it? Participation is entirely voluntary and hours are not required to graduate. Students who wish to be recognized will need to fulfill the criteria for the award.
When does this community service need to be done? Students pursuing community service hours for recognition can accumulate credit for approved services performed anytime between the completion of their eighth grade year through the end of April of their senior year. It is to the student’s advantage to submit completed community service hours as early as possible. Hours must be submitted by May 1st of the student’s graduation year.
For whom can the services be provided? Many avenues are available for students to perform community service. All organizations must provide services to improve a community or benefit those in need, such as the American Cancer Society, Red Cross, Special Olympics, hospitals, food banks, public libraries, etc.
What kinds of activities are excluded? Activities for which the student will not receive approval include, but are not limited to:
● Mandated services, such as teen court, to forgive tickets or police matters
● Activities for which the student receives direct benefit, i.e. fundraising for a school-related activity such as field trips, political campaigns for family members
● Activities during the student’s school day
● Activities for which the student is compensated
● Donating items or money in exchange for community service hours
How do I document my community service hours? Students will submit community service through x2VOL. See CHS and CSHS counseling websites for step-by-step instructions for entering hours in X2VOL.
Do activities need to be pre- approved? Activities need not be pre- approved.