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Volundeers

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We make a living by what we get.

We make a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill

 

Welcome to VOLUNDEERS, a community service club open only to DPHS 9th graders!

What is the VOLUNDEER organization?

  • The Volundeer organization consists of 9th grade students who volunteer their time in a variety of non-profit settings throughout the community. 
  • Volundeers obtain valuable documented credit for the hours volunteered and can use this documentation on college, scholarship, and job applications. 
  • Volundeers is mainly an after-school and weekend activity; however, some activities will occur during school advisory periods.
 

What is the definition of Community Service?

  • Community service is defined as:  To volunteer, aid or assist a non-profit organization in a particular district. 
 

Can I continue with Volundeers after 9th grade?

  • No, but you can continue volunteering and earning documented credit through the DPHS Community Service Program. South Campus has many organizations that also center around helping people. The closest thing to Volundeers is Interact.
 

What is the DPHS Community Service Program and how will this affect participation in Volundeers?

  • The DPHS Community Service Program is a program that encourages students to volunteer their service throughout all four of their high school years.  This means that your Volundeer hours go with you and count toward DPHS Community Service hours.
  • Students who complete 25 documented community service hours during each of their four high school years will receive a Community Service Honor Cord and be recognized at Graduation. 
  • Specific guidelines apply and you can find more information in the counseling office at South Campus.

How do I become a Volundeer?

  • Pay the $10 due on MySchoolBucks for Volundeers, or
  • Work two hours for a North Campus teacher under the coordination of Jessica Vega. The two hours can be broken down in 30 minute sessions either before or after school as needed. You must provide your own transportation.

How does Volundeers work?

  • Volundeer service is mostly centered in the community and occasionally during North Campus Advisory Periods. 
  • Volundeer sponsors may meet with Volundeers during advisory periods as needed to complete projects such as the Christmas Toy Drive, food drives, making goody bags for nursing homes, sorting school supplies for the North Campus School Supply Closet and more. 
  • In addition, Volundeers may have some group sponsored volunteer activities outside of school.  These may include a Christmas visit to a nursing home, and Texas Adopt-A-Beach clean up events.

 Where else can I volunteer?

  • We have many opportunities to volunteer in the community and Volundeers work in many Deer Park City sponsored events. 
  • Volunteer work at well known charities such as the Houston Food Bank, Red Cross, or Habitat for Humanity, and work at non-profit hospitals, nursing homes, animal shelters, or soup kitchens.
  • We will post many community volunteer opportunities on the Volundeers Canvas course.
  • Additionally, students can find their own volunteer opportunities that meet our guidelines.
  • If an opportunity is appropriate, we’d like to offer it to other Volundeers, so let the sponsors know.

What are some of the Volundeer guidelines?

  • Students may not be paid for or benefit from any work.
  • Volunteer service for family owned/operated businesses is not acceptable! 
  • Volunteer hours may not be earned by fundraising except for fundraising projects by non-profit organizations.

What are some activities that are generally not approved?

  • Babysitting, working for a family member, a job that is usually a paid position (like babysitting), working at a family member’s place of employment.   
  • Simply being active in church is not considered volunteer service.  Playing an instrument in the church band, or being an altar boy/girl is not community service., however assisting with food drives and events for church is considered service 
  • hours will not be counted toward Volundeers if the hours are also being counted for another activity or organization like Scouts, church confirmation, court ordered community service, etc. (Remember, volunteering is giving without getting something in return).
  • Volundeer sponsors have the right to question any documented hours that are not within the set guidelines.

 

General Information:

  • If you or your parents have any ideas for volunteerism for the Volundeers, please email the details to [email protected].
  • Volundeers must remember at all times that they are representing their school.  Students must dress and act appropriately when working as a Volundeer. 
  • If a Volundeer signs up to work or attend an activity, he/she should show up.  If you can’t make it, then you must cancel with the contact person listed on the sign-up sheet.

Volundeer Fundraisers

  • The sponsors and some of our new Volundeers sell T-shirts during registration to benefit Volundeers. This is our biggest fundraiser throughout the year.  This money is used to fund our reward trip to Pirate's Bay and for scholarships that students can apply for during their Senior year. 

REWARD TRIP

  • In the past, Volundeers has had sufficient funding to take approximately 50 Volundeers on a reward trip in the spring. 
  • Students must turn in the 25 hours along with a permission slip signed by their parents to be allowed to go on this trip.  If a student has had a disciplinary infraction that is severe, sponsors will determine whether the student will be allowed to attend the reward trip.

SCHOLARSHIPS

  • Volundeers awards 1-2 scholarships to seniors every year.
  • The main criteria for the scholarship is continued “Volunteerism” throughout high school.

 

 

We look forward to working with our Volundeers this school year.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please e-mail Jessica Vega at [email protected] 

 

VOLUNDEER SPONSORS:

 

Jessica Vega

 

 

 

Tell me more about how Volundeers and the DPHS Community Service Program work together.

  • Whereas the DPHS Community Service Program credits only 25 hours per year, Volundeers has no credit hour maximum.
  • The first 25 hours earned as a Volundeer will count toward the DPHS Community Service Program. This ensures that students can continue getting documented credit for their volunteer service as they transition to South Campus.
  • Also, freshmen who choose not to participate in Volundeers can still choose to participate in the DPHS Community Service Program - -all students will be held to the same volunteer guidelines.
  • Volundeer sponsors do not maintain monthly records of students’ hours. Students do!
  •  Students are responsible for maintaining their Community Service Log and documenting the completed hours. The log is available on the Volundeers Bulletin Board in the cafeteria.  Remember to keep your community service log sheet in a safe place!  You will need it for 4 years!