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Orchard Park Central School District

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NHS Service Hours

Service hours are a very important component of your NHS application.  Students should begin doing thier their service hours in 9th grade. It is highly recommended that NHS candidates complete and log 10-15 hours of service each year. However, there is a minimum requirement of 15 hours to be considered for the National Honor Society. Up to three of these hours can be spent serving within the school community.  

  • Use this separate form to complete and log your school service hours : 

School Service Form

All humanitarian service hours used for the National Honor Society should be logged through the Humanitarian Program, and potential candidates should follow the rules found on the Humanitarian Distinction page. Please make sure to complete and log your hours.

Use the Humanitarian Completed logged Hours Form to log your hours.  Original forms with all completed data must be turned in within one week of completing the service. Please make a copy of the form for your own records before turning it in.  *Please note, the NHS Selection Committee will not consider unverified community service hours during the application review.

  • If you would like to volunteer for an organization that is not on the approved list of community service agencies, use the Humanitarian Service Approval form.  This must be submitted to and approved by Mrs. Karalus (Room 257) before you perform the service.
  • See the list of Approved List of Service Placements below.
  • Use this separate form to complete and log your school service hours. School Service Form

 Approved List of Service Placements

Students must demonstrate a commitment to humanitarian service by volunteering with local not-for-profit organizations that support individuals or groups facing significant hardship. These may include people experiencing poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, disability, or other forms of need. Volunteer hours should be completed with a not-for-profit group. Many local places need volunteers. Internet searches, church bulletins, and postings by not-for-profit organizations are good sources to find volunteer opportunities. Hours acceptable for admittance into the National Honor Society should follow the above criteria.

Some suggestions for community service are as follows:

American Cancer Society
Beaver Meadow Audubon Center
Boy Scouts * Specific activities on preapproval 
Buffalo City Mission
Buffalo Zoo
Catholic Charities
Chestnut Ridge Conservancy
Educational Outreach
Eight Days of Hope
EMT/EMS Firefighting through Volunteer Fire Departments
Feed More of W.N.Y. (To receive credit, it is required to work at the Feed More under the direct supervision of an organization-appointed supervisor. Home-based services will not be accepted.)
4-H (paid membership required, must have a non-related supervisor)
Fish of East Aurora
Friends of the Night
Girl Scouts* Specific activities on preapproval 
Grace Guest House
Habitat for Humanity
Heart Animal Rescue
Hearts for the Homeless
Hospice of Buffalo
Meals on Wheels
Messinger Woods 
Ronald McDonald House
SABAH
Salvation Army
Seneca Street CDC (Must sign in upon arrival to get credit)
716 Squash
S.P.C.A. (To receive credit, it is required to work at the S.P.C.A. under the direct supervision of an organization-appointed supervisor. Home-based services will not be accepted.)
St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy
String Works
Teacher's Desk
Trusted gives
Unified activities 
Volunteerwny.org
WNY Girls in Sport (United Way)
W.N.Y. Foster Closest

This is not a comprehensive list. If there are places you would like to volunteer but are not sure if they will count, complete the approval form and bring it to me in room 257 or e-mail it to the volunteer coordinator at Lkaralus@opschools.org. School service does not equate to community service without preapproval.