Service Learning Program

Service Learning Coordinator:

(Correspondence is limited in the summer)

The Service…

As the hands and feet of Christ on earth, students will be expected to not only be active participants in family life, parish life and the school community, but will also be expected to live out the virtue of solidarity and answer the call to care for the poor and needy of our community. Service hours are divided into two types: those which call us to actively participate in the communities to which we belong and those which call us to live out the commandment to “love one another”.

DIRECT SERVICE TO POOR & NEEDY – hours of service working directly (face-to-face) with the poor, disadvantaged, hungry, homeless, sick, elderly or disabled

This type of service is of most benefit to the student. It enables him/her to see the face of Jesus in those served. It gives him/her the opportunity to give dignity, mercy and compassion to those most in need. It provides the means of being Christ for another. Direct Service to the Poor & Needy includes but is not limited to serving a meal to the guests at the LUM Homeless Shelter, being a host family for Jubilee Christmas, visiting with the sick or elderly at a hospital or nursing home, and helping guests at a food pantry. Opportunities for this type of service are shared on our regularly updated Opportunities to Serve document.

INDIRECT SERVICE TO POOR & NEEDY – indirect hours (not face-to-face) of service benefiting the poor, disadvantaged, hungry, homeless, sick, elderly or disabled

There are many things that need to be done to benefit the poor that do not involve actually working directly with the person benefiting from service. This service includes but is not limited to sorting clothing or food items for organizations like Matrix or Food Finders. It also includes fundraisers for charitable organizations, for example the Hunger Hike in September. Also included in this type of service would be work done for organizations that help the poor such as Lafayette Transitional Housing or Lafayette Urban Ministry. Opportunities for this type of service are shared on our regularly updated Opportunities to Serve document.

SERVICE TO CHURCH & SCHOOL

Being part of a community requires our participation for the good of that community. Time, talent and treasure are to be sacrificed for the communities to which we belong. This service includes helping set up for events and activities at our parishes and school, participating in a ministry at school or church that requires our time and talent or cleaning or organizing when needed at school or church. In addition, participating in a ministry that benefits the school or parish community would count for School / Parish hours.

SERVICE TO THE CHURCH – Examples of service to the Church include, but are not limited to: serving in a liturgical ministry (altar server, lector, music ministry), helping with Vacation Bible School and Religious Education classes, helping serve special meals or at special events for the parish, decorating for the seasons, cleaning the church or the grounds. Opportunities for this type of service can most readily be found in parish bulletins. The ones that are sent to us are shared on our regularly updated Opportunities to Serve document.

SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL – Examples of service to the School include, but are not limited to: helping with athletic events and sports camps, helping set-up and clean-up school events, helping teachers and staff with classroom/office needs, serving at school events such as the Blue Knight Auction. Opportunities for this type of service are shared on our regularly updated Opportunities to Serve document.

There are acts of service that DO NOT fit into our categories or qualify for CC service hours. Please see below or our Service Learning FAQ page for that list and more info.

The Requirements…

April 30: All service must be submitted by April 30.

If a student does not turn in complete service hours by April 30, he or she will be ineligible for extra curricular activities and be unable to take their laptop home until they are complete. If the hours remain incomplete by May 20th, they will go in front of the Discipline Committee with a recommendation that the student be withdrawn from Central Catholic.

Students will be given class time in Theology each month to reflect on service. This is far more meaningful when the reflections is done soon after the service! Service must be submitted within the month that it is completed to be counted toward total hours (with the exception of service completed during the summer).

Seniors & Juniors – 25 hours

10+ hours of Direct Service to the Poor & Needy

10+ hours of Direct or Indirect Service to the Poor and Needy

5+ hours of Service to the Church or LCSS Schools

Sophomores & Freshmen – 21 hours

8+ hours of Direct Service to the Poor & Needy

8+ hours of Direct or Indirect Service to the Poor & Needy

5+ hours of Service to benefit the Church or LCSS Schools

7th & 8th Grade – 16 hours

6+ hours of Direct Service to the Poor & Needy

6+ hours of Direct or Indirect Service to the Poor & Needy

5+ hours of Service to benefit the Church or LCSS Schools

Please note…

Students may not use service to relatives to fulfill SERVICE TO THE POOR & NEEDY (DIRECT & INDIRECT) requirements with the exception of extraordinary circumstances and only with the prior written approval of the Service Learning Coordinator.

Students may not do a service project that benefits a commercial (for-profit) business.

Other activities that do not fit into our categories include: caring for animals, community / local events (county fair, Riverfest, Taste of Tippecanoe, school festivals, etc), Feast of the Hunters’ Moon (we make money from this event), Civic organizations (library, zoo, etc), class fundraisers, etc.

The Guidelines…

All service must be completed & submitted between May 1 and April 30.

Students are encouraged to have their service activity approved by the Service Learning Coordinator prior to volunteering to ensure that the activity qualifies for service learning.

Whenever possible, service opportunities will be provided throughout the school year. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of each student to schedule his or her own service.

Parents should be involved! Please consider serving along-side of your child. This teaches the child that service does not end when service hours end! 🙂

Please submit hours on Mobile Serve within the month of service.

Service Recognition…

Caritas Award – for students in grades 7-12 who have submitted 50+ service hours.

AMDG (ad majorem Dei gloriam) Award – for high school students who have shared 100+ service hours in a given school year

Prayer before Service (Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel before You,

since every perfect gift must come from You.

I pray, give skill to my hands,

clear vision to my mind,

kindness and meekness to my heart.

Give me singleness of purpose,

strength to lift up a part of the burden

of my suffering fellow men and women,

and a true realization of the privilege that is mine.

Take from my heart all the guile and worldliness

that with the simple faith of a child,

I may rely on You.

Amen.