Patrick Henry Academy believes that having a sense of community awareness through service, volunteerism, and helping one’s fellow man will have lasting effects and will set the stage for students’ becoming better, more productive citizens in the future.
- Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, community service for students in grades 9-12 is a requirement to participate in the high school graduation ceremony.
- Students must work the following number of hours beginning the summer prior to the particular school year they will be entering and must complete the work by the last school day of that year.
9th grade – 10 hours
10th grade – 15 hours
11th grade – 20 hours
12th grade – 20 hours
- Students who enroll at PHA at any point after the beginning of their freshman years will have the hours that they are required to serve prorated based on the date of their enrolling in school.
- Students who do not complete their hours during this time frame will, along with their parents or guardians, be required to meet with the Headmaster to devise a plan for the completion of these hours.
- Hours worked during the summer must be submitted by October 1 of the current school year. These hours must either be worked through the school or through a bona fide charitable/non-profit organization, and students may not be paid.
- A list of various agencies seeking volunteers is available at the school.
- Work done through a school-sponsored club or organization does count toward this requirement. Household chores, babysitting, helping neighbors, working for a family business, etc. are not considered acceptable service activities.
- A maximum of 25 of the required 65 total hours may be earned through school-related volunteerism.
- Service at school must be pre-arranged and involve contact with other students or formalized with faculty/staff supervision. Examples of in-school service include, student to student assistance, classroom help, school grounds clean up, staff/teacher assistance, parent association help, ushering for special events, and uncompensated PHA summer camp assistance, etc.
- Time volunteered at events to benefit your class does not count as valid service.
- Valid service to a place of worship includes; teaching, nursery care, administrative and church property care. Participating in a worship service does not count as valid service (e.g. acolyte, choir, etc.)
- Hours in excess of yearly requirement do not carry over from one year to the next but they do count towards the Spirit of PHA Award.
- Hours must be performed under the supervision of an adult and verified by this supervisor.
- Service may not be an internship or job training that is required for future employment or certification.
- Service cannot be court ordered.
- Events sponsored by one’s place of worship to benefit another group or agency, such as mission trips, may count in their entirety towards school service hours.
- Students who are unsure if an endeavor with which they are helping would qualify should consult with the Headmaster prior to engaging in the activity.
- Community service hours will not be counted unless the form verifying them has been turned in to the Headmaster. These should be turned in as soon as they are completed. Students should maintain copies of their hours as an aid in the completion of college applications.
Spirit of PHA Award
This award recognizes students at graduation who have earned a minimum of 150 hours of community service.