In response to the Gospel call to serve others, the Church’s call to witness as disciples, the Sisters of St. Joseph’s call to serve the “dear neighbor” and AHA’s mission to serve selflessly, it is the desire of AHA to form students to be people of service in their daily lives.
The desired outcome is that students are people of service who can identify, and work to solve, social issues and real-world problems.
AHA requires 15 hours of volunteer Christian service per year for ninth graders, 20 hours per year for tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. Students submit hours each trimester to remain current. Students who do not meet trimester requirements will be marked incomplete and hence academically ineligible (for definition, see the Academics section of the Student Policy Handbook) until hours are complete. Incomplete service hours will need to be completed in the summer before moving on to the next grade level.
The term “service” is understood as participating in actions for persons, groups, or agencies without payment or other compensation and for whom the recipient is not a relative.
See "Service Requirements" on the AHA website in the Student Policies Handbook.
Students can earn a Blue Service Award by doubling their required service hours (serving a total of 30 hours for ninth graders and 40 hours for tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders) or a Gold Service Award by tripling their required service hours (serving a total of 45 hours for ninth graders and 60 hours for tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders) in one academic year. Students are recognized in the spring.
Summer hours of service are applied to the upcoming year, beginning on the first day following Celebration Day. When a student participates in intensive, short-term service experiences such as volunteering for a week in the summer at a camp, or participating in a mission trip, a maximum of 8 hours per day will be awarded to the student. Hours to be applied to the service requirement need to be completed on or after the first day of freshmen year.
Service hours are due to the service coordinator incrementally throughout the year and some hours will assigned to the student through academic classes, such as theology.
Trimester I: One service assignment in Jesus and the Christian Community class (with Campus Ministry team member)
= 4 hours
Trimester II: : One service assignment in The Bible class; Ninth Grade Service and Fun Day
= 5 hours
Trimester III: Three “on your own” service hours; three hours from All School Service Day
= 6 hours
School year total = 15 hours
Sophomore Impact project introduced in Tri 1 theology class and completed throughout the year
Trimester I: One two-hour service assignment in theology class; five hours “on your own”
= 7 hours
[submit all summer hours]
Trimester II: One two-hour service assignment in theology class; hours at Sophomore Service Retreat; hours “on your own”
= 7 hours
Trimester III: three “on your own” service hours; plus three hours from All School Service Day
= 6 hours
School year total = 20 hours
Juniors and seniors can meet the service requirement in a variety of ways:
