With about four months left to turn in their hours, seniors are running out of time, whether it be to graduate or to qualify for scholarships or cords at graduation.
CCHS, fortunately for many, gives students various opportunities for hours, such as donating cans for harvest drives and helping with campus beautification projects. Though sometimes such opportunities can take place after school or on the weekends, there are certain clubs and classes such as Latinos In Action (LIA) and NJROTC that make volunteering more convenient due to it taking place during school hours.
“I have 122 hours so far thanks to Latinos in Action,” senior and one of LIA’s three vice presidents Alejandra Flores said. “And a website called ‘Hands on Broward’ where you can find a lot of community service opportunities.”
Going back to clubs, even though it may be harder to attend due to them taking place after school, there are those who have been able to benefit anyway.
“My aim is for the silver cord and I’m still 60 hours away, but I’m positive that I’ll get there,” Jewish Student Union (JSU) member Aviv Levy said.
Even though a ‘silver cord’ may seem to just be something to wear for graduation, getting that many hours can truly help with earning money and standing out when applying for college. The silver cord by the way is given to wear on graduation caps.
“I’m planning to do everything, including the cords and scholarships and so far I got money from FAFSA,” Levy said. ”But aiming for more since I’m graduating early and starting Broward college sooner than everyone.”
There are also those who are not a part of classes and clubs that give hours but have already made the requirement.
“I have my service hour requirement, I got it from volunteering at church,” senior Jared Thomas said.
Even though many have already completed the minimum service hour requirement, there are some that believe that they still should’ve been waived as other classes in the online school phase.
“I think we should have been exempted,” Thomas said. “A lot of us were going through COVID harder than others and couldn’t do their hours.”
While this point comes from the complications that arose due to COVID-19, others believe that the school has given enough time and opportunity to achieve the minimum graduation requirement.
“The school gave you 4 years to get 40 hours,” Flores said. “You can get service hours just for attending a club meeting and this year the school is doing a monthly school beautification project on Saturdays.”
One of the most common issues with not getting hours counted into the system is that students fail with the technicalities of turning them in.
“The problem sometimes with students is they serve the time but don’t turn in their forms,” BRACE advisor Christine Siwek said. “And then they lose the forms or they don’t get a signature.”
Though the last few years have had unique circumstances, most seniors will be able to graduate with all the time and opportunities they’ve had to meet the requirement.
“Every single student is responsible for their own hours,” Flores said. “If there are students with no community hours, or not enough, it’s not COVID’s fault.”
