List of 14 frequently asked questions.

• Q. How do I record/report my hours?

  Students should report their service hours on shorecrest.org at the bottom of the For Students Page using their school login, and should provide complete information on the organization served, dates and hours worked, description of work done, as well as contact information for the supervisor at the beneficiary organization.

• Q. When can I start earning service hours?

  The 1st of June prior to the school year start date.

• Q. How many Service hours do I need each year?

  You are required to earn and report 25 approved hours each year of Upper School, earned June 1 - May 31 (after freshman year, the summer may be used to catch up if necessary. Prior arrangements should be made with the US Office.)
  
  

  The 100 community service hours required for graduation also count towards the requirement for the Florida Bright Futures scholarship program. 

• Q. How many Service hours do I need to graduate?

  Students are required to earn a minimum 100 hours to graduate, with a minimum of 25 hours each year. The 100 community service hours required for graduation also count towards the requirement for the Florida Bright Futures scholarship program. 

• Q. Do I have to earn more hours for Bright Futures?

  The hours earned for the Shorecrest annual and graduation requirement also meet the required hours for the Bright Futures scholarship. (This is secured by College Counseling for all qualifying graduates even if they are matriculating out of state, so that the money is available should the student need to return to Florida to continue college).

• Q. Where can I volunteer?

  The hours served must be for not-for-profit organizations serving the needs of underserved populations. A good place to start is our Service Partners page. (If you have questions, please ask. For example, the NFL is a not-for-profit but it doesn’t qualify as “serving the needs of underserved populations”.)

• Q. Can I volunteer on campus?

  Out of the 25 hours required each year, up to 10 may be earned within Shorecrest with approval from the Director. The limit of 10 hours also applies to Shorecrest Summer Programs - where students often serve as camp counselors, the theatre program, and student ambassadors/tour-guides for Admissions. Other programs may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
  
  All hours that a student earns will be counted and recorded, but the above stated policy is what will be followed in terms of the graduation requirement. Our hope is to encourage students to serve the Tampa Bay area and our global community while expanding their service experiences beyond Shorecrest.
  

• Q. Can I earn all of my hours on campus?

  Upper School students are required to earn and report 25 hours annually as a graduation requirement. Out of the 25 hours per year, up to 10 may be earned within Shorecrest with approval from the Director. The limit of 10 hours also applies to Shorecrest Summer Programs - where students often serve as camp counselors, the theatre program, and student ambassadors/tour-guides for Admissions. Other programs may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
  
  All hours that a student earns will be counted and recorded, but the above stated policy is what will be followed in terms of the graduation requirement. Our hope is to encourage students to serve the Tampa Bay area and our global community while expanding their service experiences beyond Shorecrest.

• Q. Who can certify service hours?

  Shorecrest faculty or staff may certify hours with approval from the US Office. Service hours cannot be approved/certified by parents or immediate family members. Household chores are not to be counted for service hours towards the requirement. Service done must benefit someone beyond immediate family and be certified by someone outside of the family.

• Q. When is the best time to earn service hours?

  Once you know whom you want to serve, try to earn at least 2 hours per month year-round or 3 hours per month during the school year. The goal is year-round engagement so that serving others becomes a way of life.

• Q. What if I earn more than 25 hours in one year?

  The hours you earn during a school year stays with that year, so excess hours earned during a year cannot be counted for the next year.

• Q. What is Service Week?

  Service Week (typically in March for all of Upper School) is a great time to earn some of your service hours! There are no classes this week, and students dedicate themselves to a service project selected from a provided list. Do not count on earning all of your hours during that time. Most programs offer at least 10 hours, so you’ll have to plan for other opportunities to earn hours.
  

• Q. How do I decide on what to do?

  The US Office is available to help with choosing and planning for service hours. Students should choose with the goal of creating a portfolio that tells a story of developing interest, passion, initiative, leadership and year-round engagement in a cause they care about. Students can get great ideas on where to start from our Service Partners web page. Ninth graders will also learn more from Senior Mentors and during Ninth Grade Orientation. 

• Q. How can I suggest a new Service Week program, whether locally or involving travel?

   

  We love input from the community on making Service Week better and reaching new communities for service, but not all good ideas make for a good Service Week program. We are especially excited when students or faculty suggest new programs and take the lead in organizing Service Week offerings. 
  
  

  The three main principles of Service Week are:
  

  1. To have students participate in a group service activity with their peers and faculty
  2. To provide meaningful service of at least 10-25 hours for the week, including learning and reflection
  3. To work with vetted organizations that understand the goals of Service Week. 

  If you are a student or faculty member interested in exploring an idea for Service Week, great! You are encouraged to first work with the organization on your own time through volunteering for community service hours or simply to help. If you have a positive experience, feel free to pass along the contact information to the US Office. They may conduct a site visit and begin a dialogue to see if it would be a beneficial partnership for Service Week. 
  
  

  No individual service project proposals will be accepted for Service Week, as it would not meet one of the guiding principles for Service Week. Individual service should be done through the community service program.
  
  

  For Service Week ideas involving group travel, either nationally or abroad, the service must be done with an established and reputable organization that focuses on service and learning. They should have experience working with youth and schools, and there is a preference for non-profit organizations over for-profit travel agencies and organizations that can also help with the travel logistics and ensure the safety of our students and faculty members through a risk prevention plan. 
  
  

  New Service Week ideas should be submitted in the spring of each school year after Service Week and through the summer up until the beginning of school (post-Spring Break through August) for the following Service Week year (ideas submitted in 2021 are for Service Week 2022). This allows for sufficient time to reach out and establish a relationship in order to present new programs in early Fall for signups.