For the Class of 2020 and beyond, the service game at St. Dominic has officially changed. New rules and regulations have been set in place for incoming Crusaders and the freshmen class. Now there is a 25 service hour requirement each year you attend St. Dominic along with new due dates for hours.

The change to service hour requirements will hopefully spark a spirit of service at St. Dominic.  Sheets with specific changes to dates are located in the HUB and campus minister Mrs. Shelly Lang will be there to answer any questions regarding service hours. It has been a problem in recent years that seniors try to turn in all their service hours at the last minute.

“It’s like the saying goes, if you keep doing something it becomes a habit and we want service to become a habit,” said Mrs. Lang

One big change to the service hour system is for juniors and seniors. The last 50 hours you receive must come from agenies outside of SDHS. You can still perform service hours at St. Dominic during your last two years of high school, but they will not count towards the graduation requirement.

Opportunities for service are available year round and they are everywhere, so don’t worry. There’s bound to be opportunities near you. The most popular events people receive hours for include Luke 18, Fish Fries, Vacation Bible School, soup kitchens and Special Olympics.

Luke 18 is a massive event for service hours. It is a retreat for eighth graders receiving the sacrament of Conformation. Through ICD and Assumption you can participate as one of the leaders on the retreat. You can earn up to 30 service hours depending on what you sign up for.

Vacation Bible School is an event during the dead of summer where Jesus comes alive. The project runs over a week long period and focuses on helping young kids strengthen their relationship with Jesus. Scheduling varies with these events, but your parish is bound to have one. You can sign up to be a counselor for VBS and earn between 15-20 hours.

“It’s part of catholic social teaching that we think of others beside ourselves. We want to make it part of our daily lives and it is also a great evangelization tool,” said Mrs. Lang

There are many more events to participate in and opportunities to gain hours. However, don’t forget the real reason why we do this. We participate in service not just for the hours, but to help people in need and better our communities.