Community Service Program

Grades 8 and 9 Guidelines

Students at this level must complete a minimum of 15 hours per semester.  The hours can be completed entirely at STMC, or in the students' own communities, or as a combination of the two.

Grade 10 Guidelines

Students at this level must complete a minimum of 15 hours per semester,
which may be completed entirely in their own communities. Students may
complete no more than eight hours at STMC: at least 7 hours must be
completed in the greater community.  Exceptions are working directly with the Parents Association (ie. Craft Fair or the Dinner Auction etc).

Grades 11 and 12 Guidelines

One of the Ministry of Education requirements for graduation is the
successful completion of the Work Experience component of the Planning 10
Course. According to Ministry guidelines, the STMC service project
satisfies the Work Experience component. The completion and recording by teachers of this project is therefore critical.  Students may complete no more than 6 hours of service per semester at STMC: At least 9 hours per semester must be completed in the greater community.  
 
Evaluation and Requirements:  30% of Religion Mark (15% each term)

The Service Project

All Grade 8-12 students must successfully complete a Service Project Information Form.

Due Term One: January 18th

Term Two: May 30th

All Grade 10-12 students must successfully complete a Service Project Reflection Paper.

Due: May 23rd

All forms will be collected in religion classes and handed into the Campus Minister. The role of the Campus Minister and Religion Department can assist students with the service program.

Service Project Guidelines

It is important for each student to identify areas of service that are of interest to them. While one student may enjoy volunteering at a soup kitchen, another may feel uncomfortable. It is also very important for the student to take initiative and not leave these hours until the last minute. Students can speak with the campus minister, teachers, friends and families to help them find areas of service. In addition, there is a service information board next to the library that will provide students with various opportunities in the community.

Examples of Work Acceptable for Service Project Hours

Direct:

• Working at a hospital Working in a parish Church events

• Day care CCD assistant Dinner auction

• Coaching or refereeing an elementary or community sport Community cleanup days

• Chancellor Music Festival (8-10 only) Dance committee

• Chancellor basketball tournaments (8-10 only) Handicapped sports

• Organizing an elementary tournament Youth group

• Assisting the Development Office

• Volunteering at a soup kitchen, seniors' home, food bank, daycare, YMCA, recreation center

PLEASE VISIT THE CAMPUS MINISTER IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FINDING OPPORTUNITIES

Indirect:

Students can also serve even if there is no personal interaction with a particular group. For instance, students can organize clothing and food drives, have bake sales for the homeless, join organized walks such as the Pro-Life chain and help to make meals for groups such as Burnaby Progressive Housing. Students must confirm indirect activities with the campus minister and/or their religion teacher.

Service Projects that Are Not Acceptable

• Working at a family business

• Working in or around one's own home, e.g. mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, painting the house, babysitting a family member

Christian Service Reflection Paper Guidelines

Due Dates May 23rd, 2009 
(Please note, the reflection paper can be handed in at any time during the course of the year).

The following outline may be followed when writing your Reflection Paper.

1) General description of work performed

2) People you came in contact with

a. Supervisor: What kind of relationship with him/her? Was she/he
helpful? Not helpful?)

b. Others: Whom else did you come in contact with and what type of
relationship did you have with them? For example, workers, patients,
students, players, clients, parishioners, other volunteers, etc.

3) Any high points? Touching moments, etc.

4) Any low points? Frustrations, etc.

5) How did the people you serve react to you?

6) What did you learn [this is the most important part of the paper]

a. about yourself?

b. about skills and talents which you possess?

c. about skills you lacked and your own limitations?

d. about your personal qualities which you feel are your best gifts to people?

e. about your personal spiritual life—and if this work relates to it at all?

7) What do you hope to take away from this experience?

Note: These are just helpful guidelines. Don't feel that you have to cover every single thing on this page.

Other thought for paper: What difference did my contribution make to the agency/institution or the people served?

Format of Paper:

Cover Page with Title (centered), name, date

Body of Paper should be 1-3 pages, typed or word processed

Margins all around of 1 inch

Double-spaced type

Regular fonts only, like Times New Roman, Arial, Courier, etc

Font size = 12 point

Page numbers on bottom, centered, but not on title page.

Free of grammar, usage and spelling errors