Guidelines

For fairness and consistency, Cavs in Service has established GUIDELINES. 

• Hours must be volunteer service for a non-profit organization found on the CIS List of Approved Organizations, or similar non-profit organizations involving work in accordance with CIS Guidelines. All religious organizations (excepting private religious schools) providing service opportunities free and open to the public in accordance with our CIS Guidelines will be honored.

Eligible service may begin June 1st after completion of eighth grade.

Doing camp chores working for the camp itself is not public-facing service for the community at large. Doing the dishes, cleaning the restrooms, delivering mail, etc. to sustain camp life will not count. If the camp organizes a service opportunity outside of the camp--cleaning a public highway, building a library in an underprivileged community, teaching at a public community school, etc.--that public service will count. 

All submissions must be printed, stapled packets consisting of an official Coversheet & Hours Verification Sheet for each organization or event served, and submitted by established deadlines.

An hour is an hour--no 2 for 1 hour specials allowed! 

It is important to consider these frequently asked question topics and possible complications in the hours acceptance process:

• Ineligible dates or ineligible hours will not be accepted, such as:
  • work performed during an official school day 8:50-4:10,
  • hours in excess of 8 hours per day for single or dual day events like hosting public school Debate and Art Competitions, Eagle Scout Projects, etc.
  • hours in excess of 4 hours a day for Day Camps (being a leader in camps and activities in lieu of paying to attend will not qualify as unpaid volunteering)  
  • hours in excess of the annual 15 hour caps for the following categories-- 
    • Overnight Camps and Overnight Volunteering Trips (being  a leader in camps and activities in lieu of paying to attend will not qualify as unpaid volunteering)
    • Pet Fostering (30 minutes a day are allowed with a cap at 15 hours total accepted per year),
    • Remote Service (online tutoring, or any other activity that is not in-person working with the community)
    • Making Crafts (blankets, paracord bracelets, baking, valentine cards for the elderly, etc.)
    • Service associated with fundraising (like Pet Shot Clinic, Orchestra & Band flag assembly & delivery, Concessions, Poinsettia delivery, setting up events like LTEF, Elementary School Festivals, etc.) This service must be related to events benefiting the public – not meeting/soliciting of donors, or benefiting private businesses or private schools. Service involving money handling is not allowed.
    • These 15 hour annual caps create wholesome service boundaries to encourage a legacy of authentic service, and avoid scenarios where a week of an overnight camp experience is submitted for 100 hours of credit. Small measures of approved service supervised by approved organizations add up to life-long community volunteering, which is the goal of CAVS in Service.

Activities in service REQUIRED for academic credit, or an LTHS extracurricular (club, organization, sport, booster, etc.) will not be accepted

Fundraising--specifically, asking for money overtly--will not be accepted. Service--not planning, training, or managing--for a non-profit that does fundraising may be accepted up to 15 hours a calendar year.

Internships, training, or unpaid labor performed for for-profit camps or businesses will not be accepted

No volunteer activities in proximity to the consumption or distribution of alcoholic beverages is allowed (galas, bingo nights, speaker series, fundraisers, etc.)

For any camp, event, or activity, being a leader in lieu of paying to attend, will not be accepted

Service​ ​hours​ ​for​ ​hospitals​ ​and​ ​nursing​ ​homes​ ​may​ ​be​ ​approved​ ​if​ ​the​ ​service​ ​is​ ​part​ ​of​ ​an official​ ​volunteer​ ​program​ ​with​ ​the​ ​organization.​ ​These​ ​official​ ​programs​ ​provide​ ​opportunities for​ ​teen​ ​volunteers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​meaningful​ ​work​ ​assisting​ ​and​ ​interacting​ ​with​ ​patients​ ​and families, as well as through community outreach programs.