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Community Service Program

Helping Others - Selfless Service

Developing "Men for Others" – individuals who strive to reach their potential and work to positively influence their community in service of others – is the spiritual core of a Jesuit High School education. Attaining this goal goes beyond Jesuit’s religious services, retreats, campus ministry, and theology classes. Through the school’s community service program, Jesuit aims to integrate the virtue of serving others who have real needs into the process of learning and development of young men into men doing God’s will.

Because the goals of this program are central to the goals of Jesuit education, each student must complete a minimum of 150 hours of community service throughout his four years as a requirement for graduation. Each year, Jesuit students complete more than 40,000 hours of community service, of which some 20,000 are completed by seniors.

Outside of the classroom, Jesuit students reach out to disadvantaged people by volunteering at places such as nursing homes, schools, and hospitals, as well as assisting the needy, elderly, physically challenged, or at-risk children. The result is an awareness of the needs of others, greater compassion in helping them, and a thirst for justice. Long after graduation, Jesuit alumni volunteer their time and services to those in need.

One of Jesuit High School's major annual service endeavors is the Thanksgiving Basket Drive. Established early in the 21st Century, the TBD is a joint effort of the students, Dads' Club, and Mothers' Club, providing 300+ robust holiday meals annually to local families in need, via the Boys & Girls Clubs and Migrant Education Program. It all culminates on Basket Drive Day, when hundreds of students and families come to Jesuit for Mass and breakfast, and then pack and deliver all of the "baskets" – large boxes filled with all the food and fixins needed for a complete Thanksgiving meal, plus utensils, kitchen towels, serving trays, and a gift card. Click here to read all about TBD 2023 and view photos. Below is more information about Jesuit's community service program, questions please contact Director of Community Service Andy Wood '92 at ajwood@jesuittampa.org or (813) 877-5344, ext. 617.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Deadlines and Documentation

All community service hours should be documented by the students through MobileServe. Click here to access MobileServe.

For the 2024-25 school year, seniors must report all completed hours by April 27, 2025.

All other students (freshmen, sophomores, juniors) must report all completed hours by May 11, 2025.

If you have additional questions please contact Director of Community Service Andy Wood '92 at ajwood@jesuittampa.org or (813) 877-5344, ext. 617.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Policies and Requirements

Community Service at Jesuit must be "hands-on." All students are required to work in a program or project that directly serves the disadvantaged with hands-on help. There are numerous ways in which people can be needy. Jesuit students must work with any of these six groups, unless they have received direct approval otherwise from the Director of Community Service. Approval must be given prior to the service project being completed. All community service hours must be submitted by the student into MobileServe prior to the deadline. Please email Coach Wood @ ajwood@jesuittampa.org with any questions.

People in need:

  1. Poor, Hungry, Homeless
  2. Sick, Injured
  3. Physically Challenged
  4. Elderly
  5. Academically Challenged
  6. Environmental Endeavors

Community service hours are considered part of the curriculum at Jesuit. Community service hours are of equal importance to academic requirements and are mandatory to advance to the next grade level and for graduation.


Service Requirements By Class:

  • Freshman - 10 hours
  • Sophomore - 20 hours
  • Junior - 40 hours
  • Senior - 80 hours


Please Note:

  • Students cannot miss classroom time for a service event. 
  • A student cannot earn community service hours for service to anyone in his family.
  • Unless specified by the Director of Community Service, one hour of service equals one hour of credit. No student or project supervisor may decide that a project deserves extra hours credited. To maintain fairness and consistency for all, additional credit hours are determined only by the Director of Community Service, and are granted only in very rare instances.
  • Travel time is not credited for service hours.
  • Deadlines will not be extended. Reporting of hours is solely the student’s responsibility. Hours completed but not turned in by the proper date are not counted.
  • Hours reported above the amount required do not carry over to the next school year.


For more information on Jesuit's Community Service program, please contact Director of Community Service Andy Wood '92 at ajwood@jesuittampa.org or (813) 877-5344, ext. 617.