Did you know that you need service hours to graduate Breck? The class of 2023 is only required to complete 15 hours due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but all other grades will need 20 hours. The catch is that these hours must be completed doing work specifically in conjunction with Breck; any work you do for outside community organizations or charities will unfortunately not count. I talked with Ms. Schmidt who chairs the Community Engagement Department about the reasoning behind Breck’s service hours requirement and how you can make sure you meet it by the end of your senior year. 

According to Ms. Schmidt, the goal of requiring volunteer work through Breck is to help with stewardship and community building within the school community. She explains, “I think sometimes we get really comfortable and treat school sort of like our second home and sometimes that means people leave stuff lying around or they are not thinking about all the work that goes into maintaining the school, the space, and the culture.”

She also says, “I define our school community a little bit more broadly than just what happens within our walls.”

As for how to get your service hours, Ms. Schmidt says that there are a number of opportunities students can count on happening each year: In the fall there is Rake A Difference, where students help senior citizens in the surrounding community by raking lawns. Breck Scares Hunger is a Breck-run food drive where students can help in various ways. In December, there is the Gratitude Tree. In late January there is the Special Olympics Poly Hockey tournament. In the spring, there is another food drive in partnership with Every Meal, and in the spring and fall there are Blood Drives at Breck.

Additionally, make sure to check emails from the Mustang Minute and Ms. Schmidt, as often there will be opportunities, such as ushering for school plays and concerts, peer tutoring, and hosting open houses throughout the year. 

Finally, Ms. Schmidt stresses that in order to receive credit for service hours, you must enter them into the Google Form on the Mustang Minute.