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"If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is [your faith]?" - James 2:15-17 (NAB)
Introduction to the Christian Service Program:
Of the many ways in which a high school student experiences the world, perhaps one of the most meaningful is through serving. The stories of our faith tell us that we must serve one another if we desire to know God. They tell us that in serving we are given the opportunity to see through God’s eyes. The goal of service is to develop, in each student, the art of recognizing, comprehending and caring for the needs of others. The Christian Service Program at SMCHS seeks to develop in each student the habit of seeing the world they live in as God sees it and to become God’s hands, God’s feet, God’s heart.
Program Details:
- For the Freshman Service Program, please refer to that link (right upper corner of this page).
- For the Sophomore Service Program, please refer to that link (right upper corner of this page).
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Service should provide direct contact with our underserved community (people who are physically, emotionally and/or economically disadvantaged) or focuses on restoring health and integrity to Creation and creatures or involves you in actively teaching your faith.
- SMCHS asks that every student complete 15 hours of direct service every year. This is done to fulfill part of the basic requirements for both graduation and for their Religion class’s Christian Service Project.
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The 15 hours of direct service per year is intended to encourage students to develop a relationship. The hope is that the student will continue to serve at the same site throughout his or her career at SMCHS, growing in leadership over the years as their bond with this site deepens.
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Service hours are recorded on the student’s school transcript, and are part of the student’s permanent record. A SMCHS Verification Form must be used to submit these hours. This includes all service hours done beyond the yearly basic requirement.
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SMCHS recognizes and honors students who have done exemplary service to their community both in the amount of time given and in the character of that service. This recognition usually takes place at the Senior Awards ceremony.
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Service can be done over the summer in preparation for the upcoming academic year.
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SMCHS provides chaperoned trips to certain sites throughout the academic year. Students who wish to go on these trips are required to attend all preparatory meetings and to submit a completed permission slip at the appointed deadline. Permission slips are handed out at the initial meeting for each sponsored trip.
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SMCHS also provides a website that features a comprehensive list of approved service sites in the area.
Christian Service Portfolio:
- The Christian Service Portfolio is undertaken in the student’s Religion class and under the direction of the student’s Religion teacher. Projects are intended to complement the Religion curriculum at every grade level. The service portfolio represents ten percent (10%) of a student’s Religion grade in both the first and second semester.
- The Christian Service Portfolio is composed of a written reflection, the service experience, and a service verification form. This project is kept in the student’s file in the Campus Ministry Office, which is updated yearly.
- Students and their families are encouraged to keep copies of all service records at home for future reference.
- Individual service projects, that is, any project that is beyond the scope of what is presented on the service site web link, must be approved by the Service Coordinator and the Religion teacher. If this project requires time away from the normal course of the school day, two weeks notice must be given for the Administration’s approval.
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