Family and Community

The theme of the freshman service project is "Coming of Age" which emphasizes how students can become more aware of their own gifts and how students can be of service and meet real needs in their family, church or faith community. The ultimate goal revolves around a freshmen student understanding how to increase family and community connections.  It is an opportunity for Prep students to give back to the communities that helped to shape them into the people they are today.

Timesheet: Service Requirement (16 hours total) 
Timesheets are due in early January (8 hours), and early May (16 hours)

Check out the service packet here!  This packet has all the information about the service program and the ways in which you can be a person for others as a freshman.  Remember you are asked to be of service to your fammily and faith community this year.

Core Hours: At least 16 hours of Christian service need to be completed in service with the student’s family, church organization or faith community. This can include immediate or extended family.

Earth Day of Service Hours: The other 4 hours of service must be completed with participation in the annual all school Earth Day of Service on April 25, 2013. If a student misses this day, an additional four hours of to service to God's creation will have to be made up by the end of the school year.

Ideas for Service with and for the Family

There are many ways you can be of service to your family.  There are three different activities you can plan for you family, first you can try the freshmen fall service activity which focuses on planning and implimenting a family activity tonight.  The second is a Lenten fasting activity and the final is a family service experience.  Try them out and be of great service to your family and have some fun too!

Here are some other ideas for you consider.

• Participate in non-chore activities for family (make dinner)
• Volunteer with family members at a food bank, shelter, etc.
• Organize and lead prayer time for family
• Organize family events (weekly family game night)
• Plan a family fast night (fast from electricity, television, food) and plan activities for the evening. 
• Tutor a younger sibling
• Put together a family tree or family history (that hasn’t already been created)

Ideas for Service to a Church
• Serve as an altar server, lector, usher, greeter, etc.
• Sing in the choir
• Help at a church event (auctions, pancake breakfasts, etc.)
• Teach Sunday school
• Help with a church charity like St. Vincent de Paul Society or food bank
• Volunteer in after school programs at an elementary/junior high school
• Go on a youth group parish service trip during the school year
• Join a youth group community service project

Ideas for Church Organization Service
• Help at a church school: tutor, fundraiser, auction, etc.
• Help with a church-based Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts community service drive/project
• Coach a sport for younger kids with Catholic Youth Organization (CYO)

Student Quotes:
• I liked doing service that I could see the results from. I worked with my family to create a garden.
• I made dinner for my parents whom I really enjoyed because I saw the results and was able to witness the difference I was making. I also was able to pick up cooking as a skill too.
• I liked that it was required to do service hours because, most likely, I wouldn’t have spent as much time with my grandma as I did this year. I was able to strengthen this relationship.
• I liked how my service project brought my family together in our last year as a whole (my brother is going to college next year). It was fun conducting the family game nights and cooking with my little sister.
• I branched out of my comfort zone. I was glad that I am now involved in Peer Ministry and read for mass.
• I liked helping my mom out with dinner, because I got to know her a little better.
• I liked helping out with church functions. I liked all the hustle and bustle and being assigned tasks. Also, I liked working with the little kids at church.

Click here to see theFreshman service packet.