Christian Service

The Christian Service Program seeks to develop the faith of each student so that service becomes a part of daily life.  Mary Star of the Sea High School challenges students to develop themselves as whole persons—spiritually, intellectually, and physically.  In this spirit, the Christian Service Program provides a hands-on experience, at least once a month, for our students to answer the needs of the community through a Christ-centered person-to-person ministry.

• All students are required to complete eighty hours of community service and one reflection project before graduation in order to receive his/her diploma.  Failure to meet this obligation will result in the withholding of the student’s diploma until this requirement is fulfilled.  Transfer students have a pro-rated requirement:  sophomore – sixty hours, junior – forty hours, senior – twenty hours.
• Students may begin this program in the summer before their freshman year.  Students are encouraged to complete the service hour requirement by the end of the junior year or, at the latest, by the end of the first semester of the senior year.  Students are encouraged to complete at least twenty hours each year.
• Christian service hours must be recorded within the school year in which the service work was completed.  Hours turned in a later year will not be accepted.
• Service must benefit people in the community within a non-profit, non-paid setting or institution.  (E.g.:  working at a food bank, soup kitchen, convalescent home, YMCA, children’s center, hospital, homeless shelter, etc.)  The suitability of service work is left to the discretion of the Christian service coordinator who may reject hours if they are deemed unacceptable.  Please contact the coordinator directly with questions.
• Service hours must be performed outside of school hours.
• Students represent Mary Star of the Sea High School at ministry sites and, therefore, behavior and attire must conform to the directives of the Student/Parent Handbook.
• The Verification of Hours forms may be obtained at the Main Office.  A copy of the form is in the appendices of this handbook.
• Completed Verification of Hours form should be submitted to the Christian service coordinator via the Main Office prior to graduation.
• The reflection project must be submitted to the Christian service coordinator by the date determined on the school calendar.
• Students may view their Service Hour totals when accessing their PowerSchool account. They are listed at the very bottom of the grade page. Hours are usually updated within 24 hours after Mrs. Kavanaugh receives your paperwork.