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District

Community Service

Community Service

Merced High School offers a Purple Cord Program for students who participate in community service activities. The Purple Cord is awarded at a luncheon during the student's graduation year to those seniors who have completed a minimum of 250 hours of volunteer service in the community. The hours can be completed over the course of the student's high school career. The student is responsible for:

  • Locating a volunteer site
  • Documenting their time
  • Submitting time sheets before the deadline

 

Contact Information

Carol Tippett

Guidance Assistant

Phone: 209-325-1025

  • Community Service Guidelines

    1. All students are eligible to participate in the program.

    2. Students may provide volunteer service to the school and/or the community.

    3. Students must perform volunteer service on their own time. Service performed while classes are in session (with the exception of service performed by participants during their lunch period) may not be counted for awards.

    4. Students may not receive academic credit or be paid for service rendered.

    5. Service rendered as a prerequisite for employment will not be counted for awards.

    6. Attendance at self-improvement workshops or conferences will not count.

    7. All service must comply with school board policies.

    8. Participation in performances, festivals or competitions does not count as volunteer service unless:

    • a. the performance meets an identified community service need and
    • b. there is no admission charge or donation accepted for the performance and
    • c. student participation is of a voluntary nature and
    • d. the performance does not promote the sponsoring organization and
    • e. neither the student organization nor the sponsoring organization receives any form of payment for the performance.

    9. Rehearsal and practice time may never be counted for volunteer service hours.

    10. Fundraising, except for specifically approved non-profit charities, cannot be counted.

    11. Service performed for the student’s own family or for profit-making organizations (except for hospitals and veterinary clinics) may not be counted for awards.

    12. Service performed as a result of disciplinary action cannot be counted.

    13. Participation in varsity or junior varsity athletics does not constitute volunteer service in this program.

    14. Attending meetings as part of a membership requirement cannot be counted.

    15. Students may earn hours toward individual recognition while working on projects that will earn recognition for their club or organization as long as those hours also fit the Student Volunteer Guidelines for individual students.

    16. Volunteer work done to promote a particular religious point of view cannot be counted as volunteer hours in the program.

    17. Participation in Camp Green Meadows will earn 70 hours.

    18. Activities occurring on weekends or school vacations will count for a maximum of 8 hours per day.

  • Camp Green Meadows

    • Open to juniors and seniors
    • Earn 70 hours volunteer credit
    • Opportunities announced in daily bulletin

    Castle Air Museum

    5050 Santa Fe Drive
    Atwater, CA 95301

    209-723-2178

    Volunteer Programs:
    Aircraft Restoration, Journalism, Artifacts, Computer Graphics, Special Events and Marketing

    City of Merced Parks & Recreation

    690 W. 16th Street, Merced, CA 95340

    385-6894

    Office Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

    (Monday - Friday)
    Volunteer Programs:

     

    Youth Tutorial, Recreation, Seniors, Youth Sports, Special Populations, Special Events, After School Activities and the Zoo.

    Franciscan Healthcare Center

    3169 'M' Street

    Merced, CA

    209-722-6231

    Duties may include playing cards or checkers with the residents, or just chatting with them. Many of them just need someone to spend time visiting with them.

    The Hampshire Retirement Residence

    3460 'R' Street
    209-379-4589
    Merced, CA 95348

    Hinds Hospice

    410 West Main Street

    Merced, CA

    209-383-3123

    Various duties include volunteering at the Valve Burners Car Show at Lake Yosemite in September.

    Hylond Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center
    3170 'M' Street
    209-723-1056
    Must be 16 years old and take a TB Test.

    Mercy Medical Center

    333 Mercy Avenue

    Merced, CA 95348
    209-564-5007

    Playhouse Merced

    452 West Main Street

    Merced, CA

    209-725-8587

    St. Paul's Lutheran Church

    2916 N. McKee Road

    Merced, CA 95340
    209-383-3301

    United Way of Merced County
    658 W. Main Street
    Merced, CA 95340

    209-383-4242