Christian Brothers College High School

Students gathered outside the Blessed Mother Grotto

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Service Program

Why have a service program?

From the Bible: "But if I wash your feet - I who am teacher and Lord - then you must wash each other's feet. What I just did was to give you an example, as I have done, so you must do." John 13:13-15

From our Lasallian Tradition: “For how long has Jesus been presenting himself to you and knocking at the door of your heart to make his dwelling within you, and you have not wanted to receive him? Why? Because he only presents himself under the form of a poor man, a slave, a man of sorrows.” Meditations of St. John Baptist de La Salle; 85.1

From the Bishops: “More than any other program of education sponsored by the Church, the Catholic school has the opportunity and obligation to be unique, contemporary and oriented to Christian Service…because it helps students acquire skills, virtues and habits of heart and mind required for effective service to others.” To Teach as Jesus Did - #106

Community Service at Christian Brothers College High School is designed to open the hearts and minds of our students to the reality of other members of their community. This program often allows our students to become acquainted with disadvantaged and vulnerable members of our society – people that most of them do not usually associate with in their daily lives. In this way, our students will be able to understand and relate to the challenges and hopes of these people on a deeper, more personal level. As a result, it is our hope that they will recognize the holy presence of God in others while they develop empathy and compassion for these individuals, which will inform the personal and professional decisions that they make throughout their lives.

Freshman and Sophomore Service

At CBC, we believe it is crucial to introduce our students into a lifelong commitment to helping others. Being "Prepared to Lead and Serve" is a key part of becoming a Man for Tomorrow.

Freshmen and sophomores are required to do a minimum of 16 hours of Christian Service each year, completing at least 8 of those hours in the first academic semester. Failure to complete these hours will result in a grade of “F” in religion for the semester within which the student failed to complete his hours, and makes them ineligible for all co-curricular sports and activities at CBC until the hours are completed. Students are permitted to perform these hours in the summer prior to the academic year (provided that the previous academic year and all corresponding requirements have been completed.) Service hours cannot be performed for a student’s parent/guardian performing regular household tasks (i.e. babysitting younger siblings, cleaning the house, etc.). Hours may be performed with a parent/guardian if it is for a larger charitable organization/event. Service hours cannot be performed with a for-profit business/organization unless it is in connection with a larger charitable organization/event.

CBC uses x2Vol to help students to track hours, and to post opportunities. Students have been introduced to how to use x2Vol to track hours as well as to find service opportunities. x2Vol will also be used to verify the hours students have done so they may meet the minimal service requirements. When students submit hours to be verified, they will also write a reflection. Here is a link with some tips on writing good reflections.

Junior Service

CBC’s Vision Statement reads: “Christian Brothers College High School will create positive change in our community and world through the lives of our graduates: young men who are guided by faith, strengthened by intellect, committed to justice, and prepared to lead and serve.” In light of this, the administration of CBC has granted all juniors a privileged time in May to demonstrate their faith and commitment to justice through servant leadership by releasing them from academic work three weeks prior to the conclusion of the school year. Please note, this does NOT mean that summer vacation simply starts three weeks earlier for juniors. Rather, it is the expectation at CBC that all juniors complete their junior year experience in direct service of others during this three week period so that they will grow in their awareness of the needs of those they serve, and, hopefully, become more committed to the service of others as they become "Men for Tomorrow." This service experience begins with a prayer service on the first Friday of May to commission the junior class for service. This prayer service is designed to promote the ideal of leadership that we envision for seniors at CBC - to be Servant Leaders.

CBC uses x2Vol to track and verify service hours. For juniors, there are two steps to hour verification to fulfill the minimum requirement. Specific instructions as to how to log on to x2Vol, propose a way to fulfill their requirement with an agency, and verify their hours will be given early in the fall semester. Please note that: 1) the sing "Contract Hour," is to be submitted, verified, and approved in x2Vol by the first of December each year*; 2) the service must be through an approved agency, lists of which can be found on x2Vol; and 3) the service rendered must be in direct service of people in situations of poverty (economic, social, physical, or mental). This service can be completed locally or through a CBC sponsored mission trip.

*For the class of 2023, this date has been pushed back to February 1, 2022. It is our hope that by providing this additional time, students will find more options available to them as service agencies continue to react to COVID-19.

CBC Mission Trip Applications for the Class of 2023 are due on December 1. Information about how to apply for mission trips will be provided early in the fall semester in each junior religion class.

What is needed for month of May

All of the information included above is necessary for proper planning of the service a junior will complete in the month of May. Each junior is responsible for keeping track of his own hours on x2Vol. The service supervisor can verify these hours on x2Vol, and approval for these hours, the last step, is done by the Director of Mission and Ministry. Each junior's service supervisor will offer evaluation of his service upon completion. Each junior must provide an evaluation of the experience at the Service Agency, providing an opportunity to tell us about what you did and whether or not, in your opinion, we should send CBC students back there in the future. Instructions on how to complete these evaluation requirements will be provided to juniors as their service project window approaches.

When students submit hours to be verified, they will also write a reflection that gets included on their service transcript. Here is a link with some tips on writing good reflections.

CBC juniors are expected to have all 50 hours of their projects completed, submitted, and approved prior to the conclusion of the freshman and sophomore exam periods. For the Class of 2023, this date is Thursday, May 26. Failure to complete this requirement in time will result in a failing grade for the student's religion class and ineligibility to participate in co-curricular activities.

Senior Service

Similar to the Junior Service Program, seniors must complete their service in direct connection to people experiencing poverty for a minimum of 32 hours. The hours will be completed at an Agency or Organization outside of CBC that works directly with situations of poverty involving people (Economic, Social, Physical, or Mental). The service will be direct and personal to the people whom the agency/organization serves.

CBC uses x2Vol to track and verify hours. Students will submit their contract for service through x2Vol by November 1. Students will record hours on x2Vol, have them verified by their supervisor (through x2Vol). Final approval is provided by the Director of Mission and Ministry. Seniors will also be evaluated by the service agency and will evaluate the service agency, similar to the requirements for Junior service. When students submit hours to be verified, they will also write a reflection. Here is a link with some tips on writing good reflections.

Questions?

Please contact the Director of Mission and Ministry, Tom Eichwald, with any questions.