With our recent move to online learning amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Storm King community is taking steps to modify our programs. With health guidelines recommending social distancing, it seems that engaging in community service activities will be difficult. For this reason, we will be freezing SKS Service Learning. Returning students will not be penalized for not completing their service hours goal, and seniors will still be able to graduate. Any service that has or will be completed since the start of Spring Break (February 28 and beyond) will be counted for the 2020-21 academic year.
If students are able to safely do so, they can still volunteer in their local communities and document their work in one of two ways. 1) Use MobileServe to document the work: Get the email address of a supervisor and explain that they will receive a request for verification of the volunteer work. Make sure to fill out the form in full including the description of the activity so that I can review it. 2) Provide independent documentation. This can take the form of a letter or email to me from a supervisor that documents where and when the volunteer activity took place, as well as a brief description of the tasks, and a total number of time volunteered.
Volunteer activity can take many forms. Essentially, it is when students use their free time to serve others and/or try to make the world a better place without receiving compensation. Some suggestions for service while social distancing are: Creating art or writing letters for the elderly in nursing homes, or children in hospitals that are not receiving their normal visitors. Likewise, expressions of gratitude for service members. Advocacy letter writing to representatives or governments for a cause or particular issue (human rights, environment, funding of agencies that monitor and fight infectious diseases, etc.).
If you are unsure whether a particular action or activity will count, please feel free to contact me.
