In order to graduate high school, students must complete 20 hours of community service. There are many different opportunities for students to complete their hours, such as Cherry Hills Community Church where Blake Haynes ‘20 volunteers to complete his hours.

      Haynes goes to the church to help educate kids about Jesus and God and gain a better understanding of what that means in their personal lives.

      “It gives me pride knowing I am helping kids and doing something good for the community,” Haynes said.  This form of community service has gained popularity through word-of-mouth communication and friends encouraging each other to participate in activities outside of school and themselves.

      “I was trying to get more involved in the community and my friend told me how it fun it was, so I decided to join,” Haynes.

      The Cherry Hills program lasts from the beginning of the school year until summer.  At this point the volunteers then have the option to either renew their volunteering at the beginning of the next school year or end it and finish with the amount their given.

      “I plan on volunteering until the summer,” Haynes said.  “And then I plan on starting it all again at the beginning of the next school year.”

      The kids who participate in the community service program on the weekends come to meet new friends and be apart of something more involved than simply going to school.  Many of the kids are from religious backgrounds and the majority of the program does emphasize that, but it also helps incorporate students from different ages and different interests into one group to interact and expand their horizons.