Hamilton High School - National Honor Society: Service & Forms

Our Hamilton NHS Chapter mission is to serve, as a team, with student leadership opportunities.

• Group-based service projects, headed by student leaders
• Projects focus on enhancing our school and community collectively 
• Less individualized service seeking (5 hours max individual service)

• Members are required to complete 20 hours of service from September through May 10 (seniors), and June 1st (juniors)- for returning members. New members will start hours after Induction and their first official new member meeting. (unless otherwise specified by NHS advisors).

• All service hours must be pre-approved or posted in the NHS Google Folder

• Service “sign-ups” will be based on NHS posted opportunities focusing on “NHS team” efforts in the school, district and community.

• Members may submit a request for ONE OPTIONAL non-NHS posted service opportunity (max 5 hours).  A required pre-approval form must be filled out one week prior to the event. 

From the NHS bylaws: "Seniors must provide evidence of having completed all service work prior to May 10th each year and Juniors must submit documentation of having completed 20 service hours no later than June 1st of each year."

Failure to complete 20 hours of NHS specified/approved service will result in referral to the Faculty Council and the following:

• Juniors not being able to renew their membership for senior year
• Seniors not being able to graduate as a member of NHS (no NHS graduation stole or recognition in the graduation program)

NHS Service Hour Record  

Check the above link for your service hours that you have submitted. It is the responsibility of each member to verify that everything that you have submitted has been entered accurately. If you have questions, please contact the club Secretary.

General Guidelines for keeping track of your service hours:

• Keep track of your hours (group and optional 1 individual event).
• Submit the hours within two weeks of when your group volunteered or you performed your optional individual event to the wire basket in IMC by Mrs. Gorski's desk.  Late submissions will be denied.
• The NHS Historian will post them in the NHS Service Hour - Google Doc.  Hours will be posted to the Google Doc within 2.5 weeks. 
• Senior hours due May 10th.  Junior hours due June 1st.  

NHS Sponsored Group Service Form

• NHS sponsored group events- each event will have a student leader, officer or advisor check-in all volunteers and take a group picture.
• The leader is responsible for submitting the service hour form to the NHS basket in the IMC.
• The leader is also responsible for emailing the photo to the advisor.

Individual Pre-approval Form

• You may participate in 1 optional non-NHS sponsored event
• Maximum of 5 hours for this event
• All individual service projects must be planned by YOU, and specific to NHS. It should not be a service event that is hosted by another Hamilton club or sport (exception HHS JOI club). It must not be completed at home or supervised by a parent.
• All hours on this form must have signed pre-approval from the advisor as well as a signature and contact information from the adult leading the event. If the advisor approved via email, please attach a paper copy of that email to this form.
• From must include a photo of you at the location and of you working at the event or location or the hours will not be accepted. 

Individual Service Hour Guidelines (optional 1 event):

The following are guidelines are examples of individual service that have been adopted by the Hamilton NHS Chapter:

• Babysitting/Child Care- approved only when supervising children at an organization. (ex. childcare at church that isn't a paid position)

The following are examples of "events" held at a religious institution that will be approved:

• Teacher or teacher-aide for faith based education for young children (ex. Sunday school) or assisting in the nursery/watching children in the nursery.
• Food Drive- volunteering at event
• St. Ben's in Milwaukee- service time only, not travel time
• Breakfast/Lunch/ Dinners and Fish Fry's THAT ARE NOT fundraisers for the religious institution or its school. In order to receive approval, we must have a signed statement from the director as to how the funds are distributed.  If the funds are for the church or church school (or their participants), then it is not allowed. However, if the proceeds are for a non-profit organization such as Inter-faith or a food pantry then the service will be approved.

The following are examples of volunteer service that will not qualify for NHS service hours:

• Concessions or Fundraisers for another club, activity or community organization - these hours are not approved 
• HHS Co-Curricular, Club, Sport or Activity Volunteering:  As a member of a club/sport/activity there is inherent work that needs to be completed in order for things to run. This may be an event, meeting, rehearsal, recruitment event (8th gr. orientation), sporting meet/event, set-up/breaking down of performance, or cleaning of equipment.  If you are a member of this club/sport/activity hours are likely not to be approved for NHS service hours.  
• Team Manager: not approved for service hours as this is part of the team sport.
• Classroom helper/teacher helper: not approved
• Assisting neighbors, family members or businesses: moving, helping around the house, child care, cleaning, yard work, etc.- not approved

Participation in religious meeting/service does not qualify for NHS service hours.  This includes:

• Set-up/take down or preparation for service
• Decorating
• Baptism assistant or other "helping" during the service
• Choir, Musical Accompaniment, Technical support

Updated 06/24