Q. How many hours are required? A. 30 hours total are required for each student during their high school years. It is strongly suggested that the first fifteen hours be completed in grade nine.

Q. How long do I have to get this done? A. In order to graduate from Hampshire Regional High School, you must have completed and documented thirty hours of community service by April of your senior year. Students seeking membership in the Academic Society must have their hours completed by September of their junior year.

Q. What kinds of things count as community service? A. Working in a homeless shelter, assisting with community-based youth sports, volunteering at the town offices or library, acting as a student representative on the school committee, helping with fund-raisers for charitable groups, tutoring, etc. The definition is fairly wide, and if you have a suggestion, we are always willing to listen to it. Community service must be completed outside of school hours.

Q. What kinds of things do not count as community service? A. Work done at home for your family (you should be doing that anyway), participation in religious services (other activities with your place of worship are okay, if they are community service oriented), babysitting and leaf-raking for the neighbors, work at "for profit" ventures (there are some exceptions to this, like hospitals), volunteer work that is performed during class time, volunteer work with an organization for which you also do paid work, or activities from which you will benefit directly (ex. fund-raising for a trip somewhere).

Q. How will my community service hours be documented? A. All community service forms will be kept on file and Mr. Seid will track all hours.

Q. Do students in dual enrollment or other early college programs have to complete this community service? A. Yes.

Q. What happens to those who don't complete thirty hours of community service? A. It is important to remember that community service is a requirement that must be fulfilled, just like a class. If you do not complete your community service requirement, you will not graduate from Hampshire Regional High School.