HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-04-09, Page 26PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2003.
Students’ volunteer requirement comes down to wire
By Mary Simmons
Student writer
It is coming down to the wire for
Grade 12 students who need to have
40 hours of community service in
order to get their diplomas.
For the first time in the province,
students will not graduate from high
school if they do not volunteer their
time in the community.
The change was brought into
effect by the Ontario Ministry of
Education with the new curriculum
which also eliminated OACs,
implemented in September 1999.
But for some students, this change
is not high oir their list of priorities.
Despite the government decision
to eliminate a fifth year of high
school, some students have decided
they need the extra time at school, as
well as at part-time jobs, and they
are coming back for a fifth year
anyway.
Shauna Alcorn, a Grade 12 student
at F.E. Madill secondary school, is
one of those students who will be
walking the halls for another year.
The 18-year-old only has six of her
40 hours completed, but she’s not
too concerned about it.
“Maybe if I were graduating this
year, I’d be stressed about it right
now, but I’m not,” she said.
Alcorn said the community service
hours aren’t high on the list of topics
she discusses with her friends.
“I don’t even know if my best
friend has her hours completed, but
she is graduating, so she probably
did them. We just don’t talk about
it.”
spend their time has been as varied
as the individuals themselves.
“They have many interests and their
choices reflect those interests. We’ve
had students volunteering at their
church, coaching, canvassing for
cancer and kidney foundations and
helping the elderly at nursing homes.”
Some students have chosen to
complete their hours during the
summer months at day and overnight
camps and vacation Bible schools.
Some have also volunteered to help
out at their local fall fair.
Deborah Barton, manager of the
Huron-Perth unit of the Canadian
Cancer Society, said she has seen an
increase in student volunteers since
the new requirement was mandated.
“It’s nice to see a lot of younger
faces out there,” she said.
Students must go through the same
procedures as any other volunteers.
They fill out an application, attend
an interview with a local branch
volunteer and their references are
checked. Once the screening process
is complete, they are trained and put
to work.
Barton said most students
volunteering with the Canadian
Cancer Society do door-to-door
canvassing and daffodil sales. Some
also work in the office in Stratford.
Barton said she has been pleased
with the work student volunteers
have done for her, although she is
unsure as to whether volunteering
should be forced on anyone.
“To have to mandate it puts a spin
on volunteering. If you have to force
Mandate puts spin
from them that the student is put at
ease.”
Elston said there is no reason why
a student should not be able to
complete the criteria, but if they do
not hand in the forms by the end of
the school year, their diploma will be
held back until they receive the
outstanding credit.
While Madill students have been
encouraged to hand in the completed
forms early, Elston said they will not
be penalized as long as they are in
before the end of the school year.
At CHSS, however, Doig has
advised students that if they are not
finished by the end of April they will
not be included in the
commencement ceremony.
“There are also bursaries and
monetary awards they may have
wanted to try for that will no longer
be available to them.”
Elston said she is required to send
post-secondary institutions the
transcripts of ail students applying to
their programs by the middle of July.
The incomplete requirement would
be included, which could affect
whether or not the student is
accepted into the desired program.
Elston said the decision would
ultimately lie with the post
secondary institution as to whether
the student would be accepted with
the understanding that the hours
would be acquired over the summer
months.
“I wouldn’t want to test that this
year,” she said, referring to the
double cohort. This year graduating
students from both the old and the
new curriculum are competing for
Students’ effort
Organizers of the annual Madill Coffee House for Cancer
can count their efforts as volunteer hours. Guidance teacher
Lynda Elston said this is one of only a few in-school
activities which would meet the criteria. (Citizen me photo)
There are not a lack of
opportunities for students to find_
places to volunteer, according to
guidance counsellor Lynda Elston at
F.E. Madill Secondary School.
Elston said the school works as an
advocate between organizations
looking for volunteers and students
who need the hours.
The positions are posted and
students are encouraged to see what
is available and call the organization.
The procedure is much the same at
Central Huron Secondary School,
where guidance counsellor Linda
Doig said the school is only
responsible for keeping track of the
hours as they are completed by the
student.
Students are also advised of
regulations. Elston said they are not
to take a position where they would
be operating motorized equipment or
driving. They also cannot look for
positions which would normally be
paid or take time off school in order
to complete their hours.
Both Elston and Doig said there
are many students who have
completed their hours.
“We have quite a number of
students in Grade 9 who are already
done,” Elston said-
She said the process is a co
operative effort between the school,
the students, their parents and the
on volunteering
someone to do it, then is it really
volunteering?”
Doig said she doesn’t hear a lot of
complaints from students about
having to complete the hours.
“A lot of kids have already done
volunteer work, they just haven’t
documented it before.”
Elston said there doesn’t seem to
be a problem completing 40 hours.
Most students come in with more
than 40 and many have agreed to
continue to volunteer even after the
required hours are finished.
“This is an opportunity to do some
networking,” she said. “The person
you volunteer with may be your
potential employer.”
For Cole Stewart, who has also
decided to come back to Madill for
another year, getting the 20 hours he
has accumulated so far meant
volunteering with the Lions Club,
where his dad is a member.
The 17-year-old said he will
probably get the rest by coaching
hockey next season.
Elston said she has observed that
often the hardest part is making the
initial contact.
“Some kids find it difficult
because they’re so shy. It’s hard to
make that cold call to a stranger, but
they are usually so happy to hear
spots in college and university
_ programs. “Not having your
community service hours could be
the deciding factor. I wouldn’t want
to be the test case.”
At the admissions office of
Conestoga College, Lauren
Hoshoian said the determining
factors depend on each individual
student and the program
requirements. For students who are
under 19 a diploma is required for
admission. The college sent out
acceptance letters March 31, with
the stipulation that all outstanding
requirements must be met.
Hoshoian said many students
come in the fall after completing
summer school courses. In that case,
if they are under 19 and are required
to have an Ontario Secondary School
Diploma, they must bring
documentation stating they have met
the requirements.
With the stiff competition of the
double cohort and high tuition fees
looming before students, Alcorn said
the community service hours are not
what is concerning her and her
friends. They are working part-time
jobs, keeping up with their school
work and deciding what they want to
do with the rest of their lives.
Volunteering is just one more thing
they have to do before their futures
can begin.
Stappy
Les & Cathy
Glanville
Love always
Doris, Lyle, Steve,
Veronica, Will, Wyatt
& Leah
community.
The students are given reminders
with their report cards if they still
haven’t completed their hours.
Since this is the first year students
will need the volunteer hours in
order to graduate, Elston said all
senior students are being encouraged
to get it done as quickly as possible.
Once the students have chosen
where they will volunteer and
worked out a schedule with the
organization, they must keep track of
their hours and fill out a form which
must be signed by the supervisor, the
principal and the guidance
counsellor.
Elston, said there are many
different opportunities in Wingham
and the surrounding area and the
places where they have chosen to
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