Community Service

Community Service Learning Program

Each student is required to complete twenty (20) clock hours of community service for graduation from the Grain Valley School District. Ten (10) of those hours can be done within the school setting but not within the hours of 7:40 AM to 2:30 PM during the week. “Community Service” by definition is an activity which promotes better living for persons within a “community” setting. Community means a group of people living in the same general geographic area under the same governmental rules. However, work done for biological family members does not qualify as Community Service.

The goal of Community Service Learning is “to blend service and learning activities in such a way that the two reinforce each other and produce a greater impact than either could produce alone."(Fenstermaker)

The service learning instructional methodology integrates community service with academic instruction as it focuses on critical, reflective thinking, and civic responsibility.” (American Association of Community Colleges) This type of learning experience takes the focus off of the student and puts the focus on the greater good for the whole. The students also experience how academic learning and real life experience are tied together.

Students must document their community service hours and may do so by obtaining a “Community Service Log” in room 201, or visit the link below. The Organizational name, types of services performed, including dates and hours, as well as a supervisor’s signature and phone number will be required.

Download the GVHS Community Service Log form

Note* Students participating in the A+ program, of which 50 hours unpaid tutoring is required, may apply ten (10) of these hours toward their twenty (20) hour community service graduation requirement. The remainder of the graduation requirement of ten (10) hours would need to be completed outside the Grain Valley School District.

Why do community service?
To Enable Students:

  • to begin networking for the future
  • to create job related experiences
  • to have a broader range of experiences to place on applications, resumes, and scholarships
  • to experience and gain knowledge of the diversity within the Kansas City area
  • to discover how to participate in voluntarism
  • to meet the graduation requirement of community service

Guidelines For Community Service

Community service is an activity which promotes better living for persons within a “community” setting. Community means a group of people living in the same general geographical area under the same governmental rules.

Each student must complete twenty (20) clock hours of community service.
Ten (10) of those hours can be done within a school setting.
HOWEVER, all 20 hours MUST be completed outside the school day of 7:40AM to 2:30PM during the school week.


What Qualifies as Community Service?

  • Work done for family members does NOT qualify.
  • Fundraising for yourself does NOT qualify. For example, the fundraising for a Mission Trip would not qualify, but the trip itself would qualify.
  • Fundraising for others does qualify; such as the MA Challenge Walk which raises money for MS or the car show for Grad Night.
  • Working for free for a business does NOT qualify. However, if you volunteer your time for a business that provides services benefiting numerous individuals in the community such as day care providers and nursing homes, these hours would be allowed.
  • Volunteering for the nursery during scheduled church services does NOT qualify. However, if you help at your church sponsored "Parents Night Out" that is open to the community these hours are allowable.
  • Cleaning your church building does NOT count. However if your church goes out to clean up the yard of their elderly members, that does qualify since the clean yards impact the whole neighborhood.
Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.