Community Service at Forest Lake Academy

How do I check how many community service hours are recorded?

• Login to your Renweb account
• Click on "Family Information" tab
• Click on your name
• Click on "Service Hours" tab above your picture

What are the guidelines for Community Service ?

All guidelines were carefully reviewed in order to ensure students have engaged in an enriching community service activity. As a result, students will have taken an active and positive role in society in their service to others. Please note that the following guidelines are in compliance with the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship requirements as noted in Florida Statute 1009.534.

Florida Bright Futures Student Handbook, page 4:

Service Hours "Each district school board and the administration of an nonpublic school must establish approved activities and the process for documentation of service hour including the deadline by which service hours must be completed. Service hours may include, but are not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service organization or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office. Except for credit earned through service-learning courses, the student may not receive remuneration or academic credit for the service work performed. The hours must be documented in writing, and signed by the student, the student's parent or guardian, and a representative of the organization. Additionally, the student must identify a social or civic issue or professional area, develop a plan for personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area, and through paper or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon the experience".

Community service hours will not be accepted for any of the following:

• Service for which a student receives monetary compensation
• Court-directed community service
• Service that is a prerequisite for employment or training period
• Service to one's own family
• Attendance at religious services, retreats, self-improvement courses, conferences or workshops that do NOT include community outreach.

FLA's community service guidelines:

• Community service hours performed the summer before and after your current school year will be accepted with the exception of the summer after your senior year.
• You will not receive community service hours for participation as a Student Association Officer, Class Officer or any fundraising event for an FLA school sponsored activity.
• You will receive service hours for participating in FLA sponsored community outreach events and FLA Ambassadors.

Where can I do my community service hours?

FLA, local churches, AdventHealth and any community service location. Steps to follow when choosing a community service location:

1. Contact an approved community service site and speak with the site supervisor.
2. Gain a clear understanding of what your responsibilities will be during your time of service.
3. Coordinate a schedule in conjunction with your school schedule as to when community service hours are to take place. You will not be excused from class to perform community service hours.
4. Work with your site supervisor in keeping track of your hours completed and turn in the community service letter or form.

When is the best time to do community service hours?

There will be occasional community service opportunities at FLA and even a Service Day however, you might not get the 25 total hours that are required per year. We highly recommend that during the summer you perform 25 community service hours since you will not be busy with school work. Having two months off during the summer gives you plenty of time to perform acts of service in your church through Vacation Bible School, feeding the homeless, voluntary at any service location, etc.

How do we turn in community service hours?

A community service verification letter or FLA Service Form may be turned in any of the following ways:

• emailed as an attachment to: glenda.fuller@forestlake.org
• dropped off at the FLA Welcome Center

The community service verification letter must include:

• printed in the organization's official stationery or letterhead paper
• participating student's full name
• date and times of service (attach sign-in sheet if possible)
• total amount of community service hours granted
• description of task or list of service activities performed
• official signature, title, and contact info of supervisor

When is the deadline to complete community service hours?

The deadline to complete required community service hours will be the Monday before final exam week of your graduation year.

Each student will have in their academic file proof of service through community service letters and/or the FLA Community Service Form. It is solely the student's responsibility to turn in evidence documents of service in a timely manner. It is also recommend that the student maintains copies of all documents.

Can I transfer community service hours from a previous school?

Yes, you can transfer all community service hours you did in a previous school as long as they are stated in your transcript or any official letter from your former school. These hours will mostly count toward Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. However, you are still responsible for 25 community service hours during your current FLA school year. These 25 hours per academic school year are a requirement for graduation at FLA.

It is highly recommended that all students adhere to the guidelines to assure their community service hours will be accepted. If you have any doubts as to whether or not your community service hours will be accepted, please contact your School Counselor, Mrs. Yanira Palomo at (407) 772-3701 or email yanira.palomo@forestlake.org prior to participating. This is the only way to guarantee that your service hours will be accepted. Please note that Forest Lake Academy reserves the right to deny the recording of any community service hours that do not meet these guidelines or having not received prior approval.