Varsity Letter in Community Service
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Earn a Varsity Letter in Community Service! Students who volunteer 250 or more hours of service while in high school can earn their school varsity letter, the same as those earned by athletes and musicians. Those who have already earned a varsity letter will receive a community service star patch. Students may earn this award once during their high school career.
Applicants must meet the following qualifications:
- Currently enrolled in grades 9-12 in North Thurston Public Schools
- Complete at least 250 hours of verifiable community service from the summer before your 9th grade year through April 1 of your 12th grade year (not including hours needed for graduation).
- Have at least 100 hours of service with a single organization or school to demonstrate commitment to a specific cause or activity.
- Have at least one NTPS school-related service activity.
- Meet the 2.5 GPA requirement.
- Complete a short reflection on your experiences in volunteer service.
2023-24 Varsity Letter Application
Questions? Contact Volunteer Support at volunteersupport@nthurston.k12.wa.us or 360-412-4451.
Award Recipients
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2023 Varsity Letter in Community Service Awards
Congratulations to our 2023 Varsity Letter in Community Service recipients! Nine students earned this award: Sopeara Chay, Celeste Martin, Alejandra Plascencia, and Michaela Renick of North Thurston, Maria Cassandra Claudio, Lacey Hunt, and Logan Hunt of River Ridge, and Madison Hehemann and Jenna Nguyen of Timberline! Read about their volunteer work! >>
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2022 Varsity Letter in Community Service Awards
Congratulations to our 2022 award recipients, Sakari Schlehlein of North Thurston and Rameza Ujan of Timberline! Despite the many challenges COVID-19 has created, both students were able to volunteer more than 350 hours to qualify for the award. Sakari and Rameza are wonderful examples of how youth can positively impact their community. Learn more about Sakari & Rameza's volunteer work >>
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2020 Varsity Letter in Community Service Awards
Congratulations to our 2020 award recipients, Malia Vinson of River Ridge and Jordan Moldenhauer of Timberline! Both seniors volunteered over 200 hours to qualify for the award. You are inspiring - thank you for your service to our community! Learn more about Malia & Jordan's volunteer work >>
Varsity Letter FAQ
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Can I earn more than one Letter in Community Service?
The Varsity Letter in Community Service is only awarded once during your high school career. You are welcome to apply at any time once you have met the hours requirement; you do not have to wait until your senior year.
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What if I have already earned a school letter for a different activity?
If you have already earned your school's varsity letter, you will receive a community service star patch in the same style as a varsity letter.
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What type of volunteer work counts as a school-related activity and how many hours do I need?
You are required to have at least one hour of school-related volunteering. Some examples would be:
- Participating in a community service project through a school club (NHS, Key Club, DECA, etc.)
- Volunteering for PTA organized events within the school or school district
- Tutoring peers or younger students through a school or club tutoring program
- Helping with an after-school club at an elementary school (chess club, school play, etc.)
- Mentoring in a NTPS school through Big Brothers, Big Sisters or another organization
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Can I count hours volunteered with my church?
Faith-related volunteer hours serving the community at large will count toward Varsity Letter requirements. This means that the work performed must serve more than just the faith-based organization. Some examples would be:
- Volunteering with a food bank, clothing bank, or meal service operated by a faith-based organization
- Volunteering with members of the faith-based organization for an outside non-profit (501c3) community-based organization (ex. running a church group food drive for a local food bank)
- Volunteering on a mission trip that is not solely based on evangelizing (ex. building homes, making repairs or clearing debris after a disaster, digging wells, etc.)
Service hours that benefit only the faith-based organization will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:
- Volunteering in a church choir or band
- Volunteering to usher for church services or events
- Volunteering in the church nursery during services or classes
- Volunteering to doorbell or operate a booth to evangelize or pass out faith-based information
- Volunteering for Vacation Bible School or similar faith-sponsored day camps
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Can I count hours volunteered on a church mission trip?
Volunteer service on a mission trip serving the community at large will count toward Varsity Letter requirements (ex. repairing homes, clearing debris, or organizing meals after a disaster). Hours spent evangelizing or serving the faith-based organization itself on the trip will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements (ex. door to door evangelizing, religious classes or camps for children or adults). While both activities may take place during the trip, you may only count the hours serving the greater community without religious teaching.
You may count 8 hours per day for volunteering as a camp counselor. If you have documentation proving that you served more hours per day, you may submit it with your application and will be credited accordingly after successful verification with your provided contact.
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Can I count hours volunteered as a camp counselor?
Volunteer service as a camp counselor will count toward Varsity Letter requirements if the camp is associated with a non-profit organization and serves more than a particular faith-based organization.
You may count 8 hours per day for volunteering as a camp counselor. If you have documentation proving that you served more hours per day, you may submit it with your application and will be credited accordingly after successful verification with your provided contact.
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Can I count hours from school club activities?
Club meeting or activity time that is spent organizing and implementing a single or ongoing service project that benefits more than just your school or student body will count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:
- Volunteering with your school club to organize a school food drive to donate to a local food bank
- Performing with your school club or performing arts group for a senior center, nursing home, daycare, etc. outside of school hours and not for school credit
- Volunteering at a middle or elementary school to tutor student or help at special events
Club meeting or activity time to discuss other club business, or that only benefits your club, school, or student body will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements. Some examples would be:
- Making posters for a school activity
- Holding a fundraiser to benefit a school club/team (ex. a car wash to buy team uniforms)
- Performing with your school performing arts group at your school
- Hosting international exchange students
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Can I count hours volunteered with an organization that I am a member of (ex. Boy/Girl Scouts)?
Since you are a member of the organization, volunteer hours can only be counted when you are doing service for other people or an outside community group/non-profit. On your application, it is helpful to include a brief explanation of how your particular activities benefit the community outside of just your organization members.
If your organization is hosting an event that benefits an outside agency, then volunteer hours served for that event will count toward Varsity Letter requirements (ex. collecting donations for a clothes closet or food bank, hosting a benefit concert for another non-profit, and teaching or mentoring activities). Hours served that only benefit the organization of which you are a member will not count toward the Varsity Letter requirements (ex. running a Scouts meeting, participating in a group ceremony).
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Can I count hours volunteered as a sports manager with my school’s team?
If your school offers a Varsity Letter in Sports Management for volunteering for a varsity level team, then your hours served as a sports team manager will not count. However, if your volunteer time is served at another school with younger students, your hours will count (ex. you are a high school student helping to coach/manage a 5th grade track team).
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Can I count hours volunteered babysitting or performing yard or house work?
Any babysitting, yard work, or house work performed with a non-profit will count toward Varsity Letter requirements. In cases where you as assisting an individual on your own, the individual must not be related to you and must have a documented need by meeting one of the following criteria:
- Receive Medicaid benefits (low-income senior citizen)
- Receive SSDI (individual with a disability)
We will need to contact the recipient and verify that they meet the above criteria.
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Can I count hours volunteered fostering animals through a non-profit animal agency?
Hours served fostering animals through a non-profit animal agency will count toward Varsity Letter requirements, up to 2 hours per day. The animal agency must be a non-profit (501c3) organization, and you must have documentation showing approved foster parent status with that organization.
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Can one of my guardians be the contact for the verification of my volunteer hours?
You may not have your parent as the verification contact for your volunteer hours. You will need to establish a contact at the service organization who can verify your volunteer service. Even in cases where you parent works for the service organization, it is highly preferred to have someone unrelated to you as the verification contact for your service hours.
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Can I count community service hours required for a class toward a Varsity Letter?
Any community service or volunteer hours performed as a requirement for a class will not count toward Varsity Letter requirements.
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Can I count hours spent job-shadowing?
Hours spent job-shadowing will not count for this award, even if it is with a non-profit or school organization.