Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of kids do service, but don't bother turning in the SSL forms once they've hit the minimum.

They do not realize that this is a record of activities that gives them the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments in a college application or even an internship/apprenticeship opportunity. Not everyone has to be a top athlete, spelling bee champion or a musician. You can show your interest in any field by doing service and outreach.

In the end, it is difficult to help kids who do not want to help themselves.

That's BS. Just because you don't record your service hours above the min doesn't mean that they won't count on a college app where you list your activities.

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of kids do service, but don't bother turning in the SSL forms once they've hit the minimum.

They do not realize that this is a record of activities that gives them the opportunity to showcase their accomplishments in a college application or even an internship/apprenticeship opportunity. Not everyone has to be a top athlete, spelling bee champion or a musician. You can show your interest in any field by doing service and outreach.

In the end, it is difficult to help kids who do not want to help themselves.

Anonymous wrote:When can you start earning SSL hours?

After you graduate from 5th grade, you can start earning it from the summer volunteering work, right before you enter 6th grade. When school opens, you have a few weeks to submit the SSL hours paperwork to your school SSL coordinator.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/ssl/

If you earn 75 hours before April of a middle school year, you get a special Superintendent award. Make sure that your school SSL coordinator knows about this award and fill the paperwork. Earning 260 hours in HS will get you a special tassel and certificate when you graduate HS.
Why should you care for these high SSL hours? Mainly because they allow you to have experience and proven record of service, for other opportunities.

How do students rack up such impressive hours? There are many ways to do so. If your child is doing something that can qualify as an outreach program (soup kitchen, food pantry, pet shelter, educational outreach, library aide etc) - you can also apply for that task to become SSL approved and earn hours for that. Other suggestions -
- Students help in the front office of a school during summer.
- Usually Green Team/SERT teams in each MCPS school will give SSL hours each week to students helping to recycle
- Look for opportunities here https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/volunteercenter/volunteers/ssl.html
- Students volunteer as classroom aides during summer to earn upto 7-8 hours daily for several weeks. https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/dtecps/title1/elo.aspx These positions are not well advertized and there are very limited number of positions.
- Students volunteer to become Junior Counselors in county's recreation dept run summer camps. https://apm.activecommunities.com/montgomerycounty/Home Very limited number of positions are available and usually fill up within hours of being available.
- Volunteer program for students in colleges, hospitals, museums and other outreach programs are always available.

I think a lot of kids do service, but don't bother turning in the SSL forms once they've hit the minimum.

Anonymous wrote:When can you start earning SSL hours?

The summer between 5th and 6th grade.

When can you start earning SSL hours?

My son, 9th grader, earned 100 this summer from doing 4 weeks of camp. Finally got the forms turned in and has already hit the 260 mark (once these 100 hours are credited).

OP, students in MS also get 10 hours per grade for certain required subjects. They must earn a passing grade for the course for the hours. I think it was Science in 6th, English in 7th, and history in 8th. I think some HS courses also provide about 10-15 hours per year (5-8 per semester) with a passing grade. I don't really know the details.

My DD was new to MCPS in 9th and half way through 10th she earned all her service hours. She volunteers 1 time a week for 1.5 hours. Probably won't get the tassle but she's continuing because she likes it.

Summer camp CIT Earn est. 25 hrs. a week.

Summer camp. When they get older, they can volunteer with the younger kids and track up the hours. Two of mine hit the 260 after the summer of Freshman year, a third has over 200 going into 9th.

My DD is currently in 7th grade and finished her 75 hours last semester. She is still volunteering. At the minimum, I want her to get the special tassel. Do more than the bare minimum.

Yes exactly that. They found something they liked and the bulk of hours came from that.

Anonymous wrote:My two older kids earned more than 260 hours, which entitles you for a special tassel at graduation. One had completed the 260 before he hit high school. The other completed 75 before high school and did the remaining during high school.

OP here, thank you. Wow that is a lot. Did they find one source of the SSL hours that particularly interested them and return to it whenever they had the chance, or was this for a lot of difference places (if you don't mind my asking)?

My two older kids earned more than 260 hours, which entitles you for a special tassel at graduation. One had completed the 260 before he hit high school. The other completed 75 before high school and did the remaining during high school.

So MD requires 75 hours to graduate.

I'm interested to know how many hours kids normally achieve by graduation. My assumption is that some do a great deal more than 75, but I'd like to hear from parents of older kids if possible.

My DC just started MS this year so we haven't a lot of older kids around to find out from.