At Covington Catholic, we believe that our call to follow Christ is a call to serve others. Our Community Service Program embraces the words of St. Theresa of Avila that “Christ has no body but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on the world.” Because of this, we hope our Community Service Requirement will instill a life-long love of serving others in our community. DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE: Service is a genuine sacrifice on the part of the doer that involves compassion and extra effort; effort over and above an act of kindness for family or neighbors. We give our time and talent in service to our fellow men as representatives of Christ. It is done for people to whom we owe nothing, and yet, because of our obligations as Christians, we owe everything. “Ours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion must look out into the world.” -St. Theresa of Avilla.
Service is working summer camp at Redwood School or sorting canned goods for Be Concerned or the Go Pantry. Service is umpiring softball games for the NKAR or assisting in the annual Special Olympic Track and Field Day, putting together toys and bikes for the Steinford Toy Foundation for distribution to children in inner city Covington, who otherwise would receive nothing for Christmas. CCH service is NOT babysitting, mowing our neighbor’s grass, or cleaning out our grandparent’s attic. These are things we should do for family or neighbors just because they are family or neighbors. Service should be done for non-profit organizations. Service done for for-profit organizations and businesses, more often than not, end up being organizations taking advantage of free labor, and so they will not be accepted as service hours without prior approval by the Community Service Director.
The Community Service Requirement is 15 hours of service per year. At least 10 of these hours must be performed at agencies outside of Covington Catholic High School. All hours can be done outside of Covington Catholic High School. The following requirements must be met in order for seniors to receive their diploma and have their transcripts released:
· A senior in his 4th year at CCH will need 60 hours (at least 40 outside of Cov Cath)
· A senior in his 3rd year at CCH will need 45 hours (at least 30 outside of Cov Cath)
· A senior in his 2nd year at CCH will need 30 hours (at least 20 outside of Cov Cath)
· A senior in his 1st year at CCH will need 15 hours (at least 10 outside of Cov Cath)
Covington Catholic is pleased to award a Varsity Letter in Community Service for those students who go above and beyond their required hours. To receive a varsity letter for a specific school year, students must complete at least 40 hours of community service and must participate in at least six different activities at 6 different agencies. If, for example, you work a festival and serve Mass at the same parish, that would be considered one agency. At least 30 of those hours must be non-Cov Cath hours. For the purpose of the varsity letter, the school year officially runs from June 1st to May 31st. Covington Catholic also awards two special awards to students that demonstrate an overwhelming dedication to serve others. The Bill Snyder Spirit of Community Service Award is given to the senior that during a particular school year best exemplifies our call to serve God by serving others.
The Blessed William Joseph Chaminade Award is given to the senior that has best demonstrated our call to serve others throughout his high school career.