Silver Cord
The Silver Cord of Service Award is a distinguished volunteer service award available to all Clear Creek Amana High School students. The Silver Cord Program recognizes students for their community service during their high school years. To qualify for this award, students should average a minimum of 40 hours of community service/volunteering during every year of high school, for a total of at least 160 hours on or before April 30th of their senior year. Silver Cord of Service Award recipients will receive a special honor cord to wear during graduation as recognition of their outstanding achievement.
Hours will be adjusted for the following graduating classes:
Class of 2026 – 40 total hours of service
Class of 2027 – 80 total hours of service
Class of 2028 – 120 total hours of service
Class of 2029 and beyond – 160 total hours of service
Silver Cord Hours Submission
Please complete the form below to submit your volunteer hours for Silver Cord consideration. Be sure that all sections of the form are filled out accurately and in full. Submitted hours will be verified by contacting the event coordinator or volunteer supervisor.
Read through the following list of acceptable and non-acceptable service activities.
Acceptable Service Activities:
Service activities must meet a clear need for a nonprofit (501c3) or government agency. Examples include but are not limited to: schools, local or state government agencies, church, parks, charity programs, community events or community organization.
Volunteer projects must be supervised by an adult who is employed by the service organization or is an established volunteer recognized by the organization. Family members and/or fellow students are not eligible to serve as the supervisor or verify volunteer hours.
Each year 10 of the 40 volunteer hours can come from community service within your neighborhood. For example, helping a neighbor shovel, mow, rake leaves, etc. These must must have prior approval.
Non-acceptable Service Activities:
- Court-ordered Community Service
- Service provided directly to a for-profit institution or organization
- Service/time for which you are being financially reimbursed or compensated
- Travel time to and from the service site
- Sleeping or personal recreation time during service hours
- Hours completed during school hours/class time.
- Service provided in conjunction with an academic course, school-based organization, sport, or activity (for example: NHS, Interact Club, etc), or for a high school classroom aide.
- Service hours used to satisfy a requirement/obligation for any agency, program or organization of which you are a member
Religious Service:
In order to be applicable to a student’s Silver Cord of Service Award hours, an activity may not be directly involved with the rituals, services or ceremonies of any specific religious organization.
- Acceptable examples of religious activities include: teaching Sunday or Vacation Bible School, leading youth groups, babysitting during religious services and/or participating in mission trips.
- Non-acceptable examples of religious activities include: singing in the choir, candle lighting, reading from religious texts and/or altar service
Important Guidelines
- All volunteer hours must be unpaid
- All volunteer hours must be recorded outside of school hours
- An adult supervisor, not parent/guardian(s), must sign the Silver Cord Award Form
Use a separate form for each submission; however, multiple days of service for the same organization may be included on a single form.