SJCSD Guidance & Programs of Choice
Bright Futures Community Service Hours Guidelines
In alignment with the guidelines above, St. Johns County School District provides clarifying examples in this
document of types of service work that are and are not permitted. Each district reserves the right to determine
what types of activities are acceptable (Bright Futures Handbook, Ch.1, pg.4) and may differ from surrounding
districts. If the activity is determined ineligible for Bright Futures, the student can still add the service to their
resume and note it for college admissions, scholarships, or professional skill building. Bright Futures requires that
hours must be submitted to the student’s school counselor/designee no later than the student’s high school
graduation date. It is recommended the student submit their hours each year of high school or as they are
completed.
This table does not include all possible activities. The school principal is the final determiner of activity approval
or denial if the service activity cannot be agreed upon at the school level.
Activities That Do Not Count
Volunteering at a food pantry
Donating non-perishable foods
Activities on behalf of a candidate for public office,
supervised by a non-relative with the campaign
Walking around in a neighborhood posting political signs
with a family member
Teaching English skills to a foreign exchange student
under the supervision of a non-relative, non-profit staff
Hosting a foreign exchange student
Volunteering at an animal shelter under the supervision of
a non-relative shelter staff member
Fostering an animal at home
Helping at a church carnival open to the public and free of
charge, supervised by church staff
Helping at an event that is not fully open to the
community, where people must pay to participate
Completing an internship at a non-profit organization
Doing non-paid work at a for-profit business
Required training prior to a service activity (ex: Training on
building a well prior to a mission trip where that will be
Claiming hours for an activity that is required for academic
credit or licensure (ex: First Aid/CPR, school course, school
drama production where course credit is earned)
Volunteering at a hospital or nursing home
Being paid to work at a hospital or nursing home
For home education students, submit hours to the district Home Education Liaison, Millie Sierra, at
mildred.sierra@stjohns.k12.fl.us during your last semester of completing your high school requirements.
Florida Statutes 1009.534, 1009.535, 1009.536
The student must identify a social or civic issue or a professional area that interests him or her,
develop a plan for his or her personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area,
and, through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her experience. Except
for credit earned through service-learning courses adopted pursuant to s. 1003.497, the student may
not receive remuneration or academic credit for volunteer service work performed. Such work may
include, but is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community
service organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office. The hours of volunteer
service must be documented in writing, and the document must be signed by the student, the
student’s parent or guardian, and a representative of the organization for which the student
performed the volunteer service work.
