Skip to main content
Cougar Life » Community Service

Community Service

Cross on campus

“ …And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

 

The vision of Northland Christian School is for each student to: maximize their academic potential, develop and care for their body, understand their worth, and show respect and compassion for others. We believe that serving our community in the name of Christ is an integral part of our vision.

In addition to the service projects students complete in each grade throughout their academic life at NCS, students are required to complete 15 hours of individual service each year of Middle School and 20 hours for each school year of High School (May 1-April 30). The hours can be earned by serving here at NCS, in their church, or at a non-profit organization in our community.

“Acts,” our Community Service program, serves local, national, and international communities. Northland students are encouraged to select projects of personal interest and lead initiatives. Through these projects, students learn about other people and cultures. Community Service benefits those who are being helped, as well as those who are performing the service. Service enriches the lives of our students by expanding their worldview and creating opportunities for them to cultivate empathy for others. These projects create a canopy of relationships that bridge generations and communities.

Elementary students are currently in their 6th year of monthly service projects led by a different grade level each month. Organizations served have been Operation Christmas Child, active military personnel, and many others. Our goal is to emphasize compassion and the ability to think outside of ourselves by helping to meet the needs of others.  

Each January, Northland elementary students collect canned goods for people in the local community who are in need. The food is donated to the MANNA pantry, an outreach program of one of the local churches.

Other class-wide and school-wide service projects emerge as the needs of the local community arise.

The service hour year runs from May 1 - April 30 each year. Any hours earned after April 30 will be credited to the following year.

 

Middle School .........15 hours per year of attendance at Northland
Middle School Service Award* .........75 hours in one year and lead a project
High School Requirement .............20 hours per year of attendance at Northland
High School Service Award* ..........100 hours in one year and lead a project

 

*If earning a Service Award, hours must be completed by April 1st to allow time for processing and presentation of the award.

 

Students will track their hours in the following way:

Until FACTS is operational, we will use the 2022-23 Service Form

Each student will log their hours using their FACTS (formerly RenWeb) account located under the family tab. Select the student in the drop down menu and add Community Service hours there.  This allows students to personally track all volunteer hours. Paper forms will no longer be utilized, but you will need the name of the organization, representative name and their email address and phone number.

     Hours are entered no later than two weeks after the event. 

The Community Service description area requires a complete description of the service performed. For example, “VBS” or “Basketball Camp” will not suffice. You must detail your role, describing what you did and how it was of service to the community. Submissions lacking the required information will be returned.

Students logging 150 hours or more of documented community service over the four years of high school will be recognized at graduation with a green service cord. These hours must be completed by April 1st to allow for processing.

A student who fails to complete their required service hours by April 30th will make up the delinquent hours the following year through assigned service. These are benchmarks to help keep students on track. Seniors must complete their log and report all hours by April 1st. Should any senior fail to complete the required number of service hours, their final transcript will be released once the delinquent hours are completed.

 

There are several facets of community service to remember:

  • Community Service is a great way to learn about possible careers – if you are interested in medicine, volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, etc.
  • Community Service guidelines require that students do not receive payment.
  • Students may not earn community service hours by working for a family member or individual; it must be completed through Northland or an approved non-profit institution or organization. 
  • Volunteer service hours may not be certified by a family member or another student.
  • Students may earn volunteer hours by helping at an event or performance, providing they are not a member of the organization. For example, a student not in Theatre may volunteer to usher or collect tickets for a drama production.
  • With pre-approval, students may earn service hours during the school day. An example would be students who tutor during their study hall. If interested, contact Mrs. Domingue. [email protected]
  • Students may earn hours at their church as long as the hours are not part of the regular worship service. Singing in the choir or teaching Sunday School would not count, but volunteering for VBS or a special event such as “Trunk or Treat” would count.
  • Club meetings do not count as service hours.
  • A service hour value will not be awarded for donations for food or toy drives.
  • Hours cannot be doubled. They must represent actual time donated.
  • Ninth graders may begin logging community service starting May 1st of their 8th grade year.
  • There are over fifty opportunities available on the school website under Cougar Life / Community Service. NCS will send out additional opportunities as we learn of them. You are not limited to these activities.
  • We will have school wide monthly ministry highlights. Our goal is to make you aware of the opportunities around us.
  • You will track your community service hours through FACTS, the school's student management software. Remember that your entered hours will not show up until approved. (This should be done within two weeks of project completion.)
 

This year marks our rebranding of the NCS community service program. You will be provided an “Acts” shirt to wear on Community Service days and when serving in our community.