TCHS Guidelines for the Recognition of Service Hours

Update: 8/27/2023

Introduction

This is to establish the TCHS guidelines for the recognition of service hours. The recognized service hours will be used to count toward the award which requires the proof or validation. For more details, please check US Government "The President's Volunteer Service Award".

Types of services

All service hours are in half-hour unit. e.g. 2 hours and 40 minutes are counted as 2.5 hours.

TCHS class hours

This is the time when TCHS students gathered for the once-a-month class time. Usually, the total duration is 2.5 hours. For students who arrive late or leave early, proper deduction needs to be applied. Advisors of each group need to diligently record and report the hours to the tcnw.tchs Attendance Records.

TCHS community-service hours

This is the time when TCHS students going out to do the community services. The hours are recorded based on the posted hours on TCHS calendar. For students who arrive late or leave early, proper deduction needs to be applied. Advisors of each group need to diligently record and report the hours to the tcnw.tchs Attendance Records.

• 2019-2020 community service
• 2018-2019 community service
• 2017-2018 community service
• 2016-2017 community service
• 2015-2016 community service
• 2014-2015 community service

TCHS advisor-initiated service hours

This is the time that the advisor window initiated for the group gathering. e.g. Rehearsal for the nursing-home visit, Iron Chef cooking. The advisor window has to clearly define the purposes of such group gathering and places and time need to be accurately recorded. And please send the notification to TCHS email prior to the event. All the information is required to record into the second worksheet in Attendance Record. Those service hours need to be recorded on students’ volunteer hour forms (from their High Schools) and advisors have to sign off those activities.

Tzu Chi community-service (non-TCHS designated activities) hours

There are extra activities that students could join in their local community that Tzu Chi hosts. Please record the hours and have the responsible personnel on the scene to sign off the activities. Those service hours need to be recorded on students’ volunteer hour forms (from their High Schools).

Community (non-Tzu Chi) community-service hours

Students are welcome to join non-Tzu Chi community services. It is required that the hosting organization issues service certificate as mandatory. If that is not available, please have the person in charge to sign on service log and print name with contact phone number (for verification if necessary). If certificates are provided by the organization, there is no need to provide detailed contact information. Please note that non-Tzu Chi hours won't be counted toward the PVSA hours in the Year 2020 and further..

President volunteer service award (PVSA)

Required PVSA application documents

1. Be a United States citizen or a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States, which must be verified by the volunteer and the certifying organization. Must provide one of the following as proof (Birth Certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Permanent Resident Card (aka. green card))
2. Proof of service hours is required to count into the total PVSA hours.

Qualified PVSA awards with respect to the number of volunteering hours

Transfering of Tzu Chi volunteer hours to other organization(s)

For students who wish to transfer Tzu Chi volunteer hours to other organization(s), please bring the necessary forms to TCHS and TCHS will provide the proof of the Tzu Chi service hours.