Work Study Program

Work Study is a financial aid program

• Recipients of financial aid may be required to work up to 40 hours during the school year. 

• Each hour is credited as $100.00 toward the student’s tuition, up to $4,000.00 per year.
• Work may be done by students or their parents. Work must be for the benefit of AHA.
• Hourly award amounts are based on need and given through the Finance Department. 
• Amounts are typically determined the spring term before the year of enrollment. 

Work Study is an annual contract with AHA.

• The deadline for the completion of WS hours for all students is May 23, 2027.
• At least 50% of the required hours for each WS account need to be completed by 
  March 1, 2027, or you may lose 25% of work-study the following year.
• Hours not completed by the deadline above will be billed at $100.00 per hour as tuition. 
• Hours are not transferable from year to year or student to student. 
• AHA reserves the right to drop students from WS due to repeated performance problems. 
• Financial aid for the following year may be reduced if effort is not being made towards the completion of the required hours.  

Work Study is a job

• Work must be supervised by and reported to an AHA staff member (the job Organizer).
• Workers are expected to contact the staff person they are working for (Organizer) if they cannot work on the day and/or time previously arranged. 
• Check with the Work Study Coordinator if uncertain whether the hours can be included as Work Study. 
• Work assignments are not a guarantee of hours. All work assignments are subject to change. 

Two types of Work Study job assignments

1. Long-term assignments/ongoing tasks:

• Regular events contracted with a teacher or staff member (Organizer) and include cleaning or offering assistance to the Organizer for 15-30 minutes on a regular schedule.
• Some teachers may request a particular worker and will invite the student to work in the classroom. The student has the right to decline the assignment. However, the student may not ignore the invitation.
• If students want to work for a specific staff member, they should contact that person directly to inquire about available tasks.  
• The student will be expected to work regularly as arranged with the staff member until the hours are fulfilled.

2. Short-term assignments/special events:

• These jobs include working concessions (usually by parents), ushering for a theater production,  the raising and taking down of the domes, and special administrative jobs with a staff member.
• These jobs will be posted on the Work Study Bulletin Board and on a weekly WS jobs email sent out by the WS Coordinator. 
• Inform the job Organizer as soon as possible if you cannot fulfill the job responsibility.

Work Study hours and data are user-owned

• WS hours are self-reported through the Volunteer Time smartphone app (a free download) which links to the website TrackItforward.com. The account can be accessed using the student’s email address as the username, which must be set up prior to use. All hours worked through this username are credited to the account. Hours cannot be donated to an account by others.
• Hours worked are entered into the Volunteer Time app or through the TrackItForward.com website. Please see the Track It Forward instruction PDF for detailed instructions.
• The current status of the account is available on the TIF app.

Using the Volunteer Time / Track It Forward app 

• Verify that an account is properly set up.
• Enter a work report into the app.
• The Organizer automatically receives an email with work report information.
• If the Organizer agrees with the reported hours, the information is passed on to the WS Coordinator. 
• The WS Coordinator enters the reported
  information into the system.
• The credited hours are now available in the Volunteer Time app. 
• Be accurate. If the Organizer disagrees with the information submitted, the worker will be informed of the rejection by an automatic email from the app. The worker may need to correct the report or email the Organizer for clarification.

• It is best to speak with the Organizer and come to an agreement on the time worked immediately after working, if possible. That makes the reporting process a simple formality.
• If there is a disagreement, do not contact the Work Study Coordinator. Contact the job Organizer.
• Report hours within seven (7) days after work is completed, except over the summer.

Additional information:

• Work Study hours are not Volunteer hours. Service hours required for graduation and volunteer time spent supporting a team cannot be credited toward Work Study obligations, nor can Work Study hours count toward graduation requirements.
• Student managers for the sports teams can get Work Study credit if they do not compete in the season. The Student Manager Agreement Form must be completed, signed, and returned to the Coordinator. The first 20 hours worked will count as Volunteer, and the next 20 hours can be credited as Work Study hours.
• Periodic emails from workstudy@ahastars.org will advertise job assignments. The Work Study Bulletin Board (WSBB) found in myAHA under the Resources tab will also provide up-to-date available assignments.

Note to STUDENTS:  Be diligent. Make the effort to complete some hours every month.  Work opportunities tend to become fewer as the school year progresses.

Note to PARENTS: Though work study is primarily directed towards students, parents are encouraged to work certain events, such as those needing adult supervision, or where money is handled, such as the concessions stand at sporting events. Parents who volunteer to serve school lunches can also receive WS hours. The Organizer for each job will know if the event can use parents.