Any student may earn this national award by completing at least 100 hours a year of verified community service according to the following schedule:

Freshmen & New Students: Service must be performed between June 17, 2011 and April 30, 2012.

Upperclassmen: Service must be performed between May 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012.

Verification forms must be turned in for EVERY activity counted toward this award, even those performed after the required 40 hours. Deadline for receipt of forms is Thursday, May 3, 2012

Community service activities are those which students perform to benefit at least one other unrelated person and for which they receive no compensation or academic credit. Students will be working under the auspices of an organization—town government, school, non-profit organization, hospital, nursing home, or newspaper. Service to benefit for-profit businesses is NOT applied to the requirement.

Community service may be performed at any time during students’ high school careers, from the summer before freshman year until the last day of classes senior year. This includes free blocks at school as well as all non-school times and vacations within the freshman-to-senior time frame. Activity format is flexible, Students may elect to engage in a single activity or many, over an extended or concentrated period of time.

Students must complete 10 hours of service each year and turn in the forms in order to be promoted to the next grade. In order to gain sophomore status, at least 10 hours of service must have been completed in the freshman year. Rising juniors must have 20 hours, and rising seniors must have turned in 30.

The 40-hour requirement will be prorated for students entering Belmont High School after the freshman year; 10 hours of service will be required for each year at BHS. For example, a student who enters BHS as a junior must complete 20 hours of service in order to graduate.

Specific Guidelines read here