Community Service
Use this form to document your community service. Turn in the completed forms to the Academy office.
Community Service
A minimum of 50 hours of community service directly with ASHP must be completed by the end of the third nine weeks of a student’s senior year to be eligible to graduate with the Academy. A log to document these hours can be found on the Academy website.
High school student community service opportunities are an important part of your college applications. They are one of the many factors that college admissions officers look for in an applicant and are often cited as a deciding factor between two equally qualified candidates. This is why it is especially important to include volunteer activities on your college applications if you are applying to highly-selective schools. In general, colleges look favorably on candidates who have at least 50 hours of community service, but if your schedule allows, you should consider completing more than the ASHP minimum 50 hours.
Typically, your volunteer hours for college will be included in the extracurricular activities portion of your college applications. There may be opportunities to write about your volunteer experiences as well, either in your college essay or in supplemental essays. You may also choose to speak about your volunteer experiences during a college interview. In addition, each high school volunteer opportunity has the potential to be impactful and influence the way you see and interact with your community.
When volunteering with ASHP, you should:
- Wear a clean ASHP shirt and school-appropriate bottoms (no short shorts, pajama pants, etc.).
- Check in and out with the designated supervisor for the event.
- Contact the ASHP office no later than 24 hours before your arrival time if you need to change your volunteer plans so we can notify the location.
- Maintain a positive, helpful attitude throughout the volunteer experience.
- Have your community service activity log signed by the designated supervisor at the end of the event.
- Turn in your community service activity log to the ASHP office within two weeks of completing the activity/event.
- Community service activity logs can be downloaded from our ASHP website or a printed copy can be picked up in the ASHP office.
All students are expected to uphold the student CHS Code of Conduct and all behavior guidelines set forth by ASHP. You are representing everyone in the Academy when you volunteer, and your actions and commitment are a direct reflection of yourself and of ASHP. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in disciplinary consequences potentially including restriction from ASHP activities and/or removal from ASHP.
2024 Addendum
If you are an upperclassman and have been accumulating hours under the previous 100 hours guideline, you can choose to complete the 100 hours you have been working on, or you can choose to follow the new 50 hours with ASHP guideline. If you are choosing to complete the 100 hours for credit, we need your current service logs turned in to the ASHP office no later than Friday, August 30th with notification that you intend to complete the 100 hour requirement by the end of the 3rd grading period (March 7th). Otherwise, everyone will roll over to the new 50 hour community service guidelines.
Examples of community service:
- Volunteering at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter
- Volunteering at the Montgomery County Food Bank
- Volunteering at the Montgomery County Library
- Volunteering through Montgomery County United Way
- Volunteering through Woodlands Interfaith
- Volunteering at the Montgomery County Community Assistance Center
- Volunteering with the YMCA
- Opportunities organized through the ASHP office or ASHP Student Council
Community service guidelines:
- You cannot receive payment
- The activity cannot be part of a fundraiser
- The activity cannot be required by a sport/program you are in (i.e., band, ROTC, football, etc.)
- You cannot receive a grade in class for the activity
- The activity cannot be during school hours unless arranged through the Academy office (ex. Read for a Better Life activities at an elementary school, on-campus graduation volunteers, etc).
- You may NOT count community service hours done for another organization towards your Academy requirements.
All community service activity logs must be submitted to the ASHP office no later than two weeks after the activity for the hours to count for credit with ASHP.
A variety of opportunities to serve our neighbors in Montgomery County can be found here: