5:16 Varsity letter
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Martin Luther High School 5:16 Varsity Letter
for Community Service
Students who meet the following criteria in the area of Community Service will be awarded a Varsity Letter. All students in grades 9 – 12 are eligible to apply and can earn a letter each year.
How do I record my Community Service Hours? Use the Varsity Letter Record of Community Service Sheet to track your hours. All volunteer hours recorded must be verified by the organization where service is performed or by a parent or adult supervisor.
Letters of Recommendation: Please obtain 2 completed recommendation forms or letters of recommendation from agencies or individuals served.
Reflection Project: The purpose of the Reflection Project is to demonstrate your understanding of the agency and/or issue of interest by answering the following questions:
We expect the quality of your project to be done to the best of your ability – 1 Cor 9:24-27. You are encouraged to see Mr. Steinhaus, if you have questions or wish to review your reflection before submitting it.
Varsity Letter Application: Complete the MLHS Varsity Letter application and submit it with a verified record of your hours served, letters of recommendation, reflection project and a digital photo of you doing service when you have completed all requirements. Submissions are turned into Mr. Steinhaus.
Frequently asked questions:
Who can participate? All Martin Luther High School students grades 9 – 12
Where can I volunteer? There are many ways to volunteer in your community through school, churches, hospitals, non-profit agencies, nursing homes, parks, etc. You can also search for opportunities under an area of interest.
How are hours spent volunteering on a mission trip, as a camp counselor or on a volunteer vacation counted? Volunteers should count hours actually spent performing service up to 8 hours per day for mission trips, camp counseling or volunteer vacations. If you have documentation proving you served more than these hours you may submit it.
Can I count hours from club meetings? If you participate in a school club, youth group, scouts, etc. you may count hours spent at meetings organizing and implementing a service project. Only hours spent planning and participating in a service project will count as community service hours.
Can I count my volunteer hours towards both a Varsity Letter and other volunteer awards? Yes, you may apply hours spent volunteering towards other volunteer awards. You may not count hours spent preparing your Reflection Project.
What else doesn’t count?
Travel time to and from service activities
Hours spent sleeping during overnight service trips or events
Unpaid internships with for-profit organizations
Volunteer hours that apply towards another Varsity Letter i.e., sports team managers, participants in theatre or choir performances
Court mandated community service or volunteer service required for a class or as a school, such as school wide community service events
How can I learn more? Contact Mr. Paul Steinhaus: paulsteinhaus@martinlutherhs.com or 507-436-5249
- 100 hours of unpaid, volunteer service completed in any 12 month period beginning the summer before 9th grade. At least 50 hours must be completed through one agency or for one cause to insure understanding and sustained commitment to a selected social issue that is personally relevant to the student, e.g., homelessness, elderly, poverty, literacy, environment, healthcare, community.
- Declaration to pursue the Community Service Letter must be made by Oct 31 of each school year via email with the subject of “Service Letter” to paulsteinhaus@martinlutherhs.com.
- A record of all service hours verified by an adult supervisor or parent.
- Two recommendation letters from organizations or people served describing your service and performance.
- Reflection Project - A written reflection, journal, video, song, work of art, children’s book, presentation or other based upon your sustained service with one agency or in one area of need.
- Digital photo of you doing service.
- Students must be academically eligible (1.67 (C-) or higher GPA) and not be under any kind of disciplinary probation during the year of participation in this program.
How do I record my Community Service Hours? Use the Varsity Letter Record of Community Service Sheet to track your hours. All volunteer hours recorded must be verified by the organization where service is performed or by a parent or adult supervisor.
Letters of Recommendation: Please obtain 2 completed recommendation forms or letters of recommendation from agencies or individuals served.
Reflection Project: The purpose of the Reflection Project is to demonstrate your understanding of the agency and/or issue of interest by answering the following questions:
- What is the organization, need or issue selected and why did you choose it?
- Why does this issue exist and who is affected?
- Who are the public and private organizations working on this issue and what is being done to address it? How are they succeeding and what are their limitations?
- What did you expect to experience before you began volunteering in this area and how did your expectations differ from your actual experiences?
- How did you serve? Describe your thoughts and feelings at specific times as you served.
- How did your service impact your faith walk with Jesus?
- Were there ethical issues that you encountered?
- What new skills, knowledge and/or understanding have you gained?
We expect the quality of your project to be done to the best of your ability – 1 Cor 9:24-27. You are encouraged to see Mr. Steinhaus, if you have questions or wish to review your reflection before submitting it.
Varsity Letter Application: Complete the MLHS Varsity Letter application and submit it with a verified record of your hours served, letters of recommendation, reflection project and a digital photo of you doing service when you have completed all requirements. Submissions are turned into Mr. Steinhaus.
Frequently asked questions:
Who can participate? All Martin Luther High School students grades 9 – 12
Where can I volunteer? There are many ways to volunteer in your community through school, churches, hospitals, non-profit agencies, nursing homes, parks, etc. You can also search for opportunities under an area of interest.
How are hours spent volunteering on a mission trip, as a camp counselor or on a volunteer vacation counted? Volunteers should count hours actually spent performing service up to 8 hours per day for mission trips, camp counseling or volunteer vacations. If you have documentation proving you served more than these hours you may submit it.
Can I count hours from club meetings? If you participate in a school club, youth group, scouts, etc. you may count hours spent at meetings organizing and implementing a service project. Only hours spent planning and participating in a service project will count as community service hours.
Can I count my volunteer hours towards both a Varsity Letter and other volunteer awards? Yes, you may apply hours spent volunteering towards other volunteer awards. You may not count hours spent preparing your Reflection Project.
What else doesn’t count?
Travel time to and from service activities
Hours spent sleeping during overnight service trips or events
Unpaid internships with for-profit organizations
Volunteer hours that apply towards another Varsity Letter i.e., sports team managers, participants in theatre or choir performances
Court mandated community service or volunteer service required for a class or as a school, such as school wide community service events
How can I learn more? Contact Mr. Paul Steinhaus: paulsteinhaus@martinlutherhs.com or 507-436-5249
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20: 26-28
Matthew 20: 26-28