Community Service Letter

Information is initially shared with all students via email. Interested students will receive access to a portal with program updates, reminders, and volunteer opportunities. For more information, please contact us.

Service hours can be completed over a two-year period and may be carried over to the following year within that window. Hours cannot be reused or counted beyond the two-year program timeframe.

The 60-hour requirement is met through sustained volunteer work focused on a single cause or issue. Students should engage in ongoing service that supports one central area of impact.

Examples include:

• Environmental sustainability
• Homelessness
• Poverty
• Equity and inclusion
• Literacy
• And animal welfare

Causes in Practice:

• Closing the Achievement Gap: Tutoring elementary grade school students.
• Disabilities and Inclusion: Coaching a teen in Special Olympics.
• Youth Development: Counseling at an outdoor youth camp.

Students may choose to dedicate all 120 hours to one cause, or they may complete the remaining 60 hours exploring other areas of interest.

Yes. Students may count service hours completed during the summer before the start of 9th grade.

Yes. Students who meet the requirements each year may earn up to four service letters, one per school year in grades 9–12. Only one letter is awarded per year.

Yes. Seniors may include the Community Service Letter on college applications and resumes once they have completed the requirements. It may be listed as: Prospective Community Service Letter Recipient, Spring [Year].

Students may volunteer through a variety of community organizations, including schools, hospitals, faith communities, nonprofit agencies, parks, and other public-serving groups. Qualifying service must take place through eligible organizations, such as:

• Public organizations: Libraries, public schools, etc.
• Nonprofit agencies: Edina Historical Society, Southdale YMCA, etc.
• Civic organizations: NGOs, religious institutions, etc.
• Charitable organizations: Edina Education Fund, Edina Give and Go, etc.
• Government organizations: City of Edina, Parks and Recreation, etc.

Yes, singing and performing in your faith community counts as community service. Students may count up to 60 hours total of performance towards the award. Practices and meetings do not count.

It depends. If the volunteer work is required as part of participating in a church, sports team, band, or choir, those hours do not count toward the service award. If the volunteer work is optional, the hours may be eligible.

Only hours spent actively providing service may be counted. Time spent sleeping, eating, traveling, or participating in recreational activities does not qualify.

Most service/mission trips and camp counseling experiences include 6–10 hours of service per day. Students may count up to 10 service hours per day toward the award.

No. Donating food, clothing, money, or other items does not count toward the service award. However, students who organize a donation drive may count the time spent planning, coordinating, and running the drive toward their service hours.

Yes, fostering an animal can count toward service hours. Students may earn up to two hours per day for fostering, including active care such as feeding, grooming, walking, and playing.

No. General club meetings do not count toward service hours. However, if your group is planning or carrying out a service project, you may count the time spent organizing and participating in that project. Only time directly related to service work may be counted.

Managing a team sport at Edina High School does not qualify as community service and may not be counted toward the award. However, similar work at an elementary or middle school, or with a nonprofit organization, may be eligible.

The following activities do not count toward service hours for the award:

• Paid, mandatory, or court-ordered community service
• Service completed for academic credit
• Volunteer hours that apply toward another Varsity Letter (for example, sports team managers or participants in theater or music performances)
• Fundraising that benefits you personally
• Travel time to and from service activities
• Hours spent sleeping during overnight service trips or camps
• Unpaid internships with for-profit companies
• Time spent in meetings or trainings, unless you are actively planning or participating in service activities
• Household chores or services performed for members of your own household