Service Program

Contact:  Contact Mr. Baker (Brother B)  [email protected] for any additional information.  Students are encouraged to initially speak with their theology teacher.
 
Forming Raiders for excellence, faith, community, and service
  
Why do we prioritize service?
It is our mission at Archbishop Rummel High School to prepare our students for lives of faith, community, and service in the Catholic and Lasallian tradition with priority for and with persons living in poverty and/or who are marginalized. We believe that each Raider should both read the Gospel and live the Gospel. When our service flows from a desire to bring Christ to each and every person, all made in the image and likeness of God, our Creator, it is not done for our own sake or to check a box. Rather, serving others allows us to be Christ for others – it allows us to be the poor widow who offered her whole livelihood (Mark 12), to be the Good Samaritan who showed unthinkable mercy (Luke 10), or to be the four men lowering a paralytic through a roof to encounter Jesus (Mark 2). 
 
The heart of our program is driven by our commitment to develop and support students’ conscientious citizenship as young men who strive for excellence in character, faith, community, and service.
 
Excellence in character begins with respect for each human person because all are made in the image and likeness of God.  During theology classes, students will participate in guided reflections and journaling through the lens of virtues and principles aligned with Catholic social teaching and Lasallian tradition. 

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Service Hour Requirements

• 8th   grade--------------------20 hours
• 9th   grade--------------------20 hours
• 10th grade------------------- 25 hours
• 11th grade------------------- 40 hours
• 12th grade--------------------25 hours

 
8th Graders are expected to do half of their hours supporting programs or groups which address food insecurity or hunger.  The primary organization which does this is Second Harvest. They offer daily, afternoon, evening, and Saturday opportunities. Go to their website to sign up.
 
9th graders are expected to do at least one activity addressing the environment and/or animals. City Park is a great place to help with litter abatement in addition to planting, mulching, and the like. There are other groups such as Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation or The Louisiana Bucket Brigade.  Please go to their website and sign up.  JPSPCA or another animal nonprofit animal rescue group is acceptable.
 
10th graders are expected to do at least one activity with people living with disabilities.  Special Olympics, St. Michael’s, ARC of Greater New Orleans, and Magnolia Community Services are examples. 
 
11th graders are expected to complete at least one activity of direct service with or for unhoused persons and marginalized persons.  Organizations include Grace at the Greenlight/St. Jude Community Center, Lantern Light, the Rebuild Center, New Orleans Mission, or other outreaches to and with unhoused persons.
 
12th graders are expected to participate in at least one activity rebuilding efforts in the region through groups like Youth Rebuilding New Orleans, Rebuilding Together New Orleans, with an emphasis on working income families, veterans in need of assistance, or persons living with disabilities or senior citizens. 
 
All students are expected to participate in the designated class service days.  These will be communicated during the first week of school.  Failure to adhere to the expectations of the service program will be considered noncompliance and subject to an incomplete or failure grade in theology for the semester.
 
In summary, service to the community is an integral part of Archbishop Rummel High School.  It is following Jesus' mandate to reach out and help the less fortunate.  Service hours do not mean only "not getting paid." Service hours help the community through free service that directly benefits the marginalized.  Work must be done through community service organizations that are recognized non-profit institutions.  
 
 
Approved Service Guidelines 

• Service completed for a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
• Service completed for/with youth groups, teams, clubs, organizations
• Service opportunities presented and/or approved by theology teachers or other faculty and staff of ARHS
• Service completed for the Church: lectors, altar servers, musicians, VBS, children’s liturgy, etc.
• Service with or through of religious groups such as Baptist, no-denominational, Jewish, Muslim, etc.

Specific Examples of what will NOT be accepted

• Any work done for pay
• Working without pay at a for-profit organization/business (internships, family business, etc.)
• Work or tasks done for family members, relative, friend, or neighbors (unless approved by theology teacher or Brother B)
• Family services, such as mowing the lawn or babysitting are family obligations and will not be accepted.
• Helping elderly grandparents, aunts, and uncles unless when connected with an approved non-profit organization.
• Parents/Guardians may NOT fulfill these requirements for their children. 

The primary criterion for approval is that service hours are performed on behalf of a non-profit organization whose mission is consistent with, or not in opposition to, the mission, beliefs, and teachings of the Catholic Church.
Some additional reasons for service hours not being approved would include the following:
·       The organization’s mission, and/or business, is inconsistent with and/or contrary to the mission, beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church, such as Planned Parenthood, or any pro-abortion organization, etc.
·       The organization is in business for profit, such as a mall, retail outlet, law office, doctor's office, dance school, etc.   
·       The service is seen as exploiting the person doing the service.
·       The service involves raising funds for an organization whereby the funds only benefit the student and not the organization, such as raising money to attend a convention.
·       The service involves selling candy, raffle tickets, discount cards, etc.
 
Approved Service Examples (Not Exhaustive)

• Hospital Volunteer                                                 
• Altar Server, Lector, Cantor (unpaid) at Mass                                                       
• Mission trip                                                             
• Vacation Bible School                                        
• Teaching CCD classes   
• Volunteering at nursing homes 
• Volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity
• Serving as a tutor with NHS.
• Volunteer at the Boys/Girls Club 
• Deliver meals to poor or shut-ins 
• Serve and/or prepare meals at a shelter such as the Rebuild Center or Grace at the Greenlight
• Personally organize meal trains for families who have just welcomed a newborn child, families or individuals who are recovering from illness/injury/surgery, or for families who have suffered the death of a loved one. 
• Signing up for a prayer slot with the 40 Days for Life Campaign 
• Volunteer at a Summer Camp
• Big Brothers or Ambassadors Club Activities 
• Volunteer work with Catholic Social Services such as Catholic Charities
• Volunteer work with Women’s New Life Center or Louisiana Right to Life
• Volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House 
• Eagle Scout Project
• Volunteer work with Second Harvest Food Bank or similar organization
• Set up or clean-up at church/congregation events/festivals   
• Organized neighborhood cleanup with civic association or nonprofit
• Disaster response to hurricane, flooding, or an act of nature     
• Service aligned with Catholic social teaching, especially the corporal and spiritual works of mercy           

Additional Resources: Why do we serve? 

• Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching | USCCB
• The Spiritual Works of Mercy | USCCB
• The Corporal Works of Mercy | USCCB

Reporting Hours:  All hours must be entered through Mobile Serve after the service happens or within the week. Failure to submit hours in a timely manner may forfeit those hours served. 
 
Service hours deadline:  April 13, 2026.  Students who do not complete service hours by the deadline fail theology for the second semester.  For more information, contact Mr. Baker (Brother B) [email protected]. 
Lying about service is a violation of the school’s academic and integrity policy and is subject to consequences stated in the student handbook.
 
 
Reporting Service Hours
All Service Reports (SRs) and service hours need to be completed within one week of your service.  Best practice is to complete your SR right after your service experience. Failure to timely report service hours may negate the reported hours.
Since Rummel Raiders are committed to excellence in character, Raiders are reminded that we are relational and responsible, honest, and abide by truth. Please complete all components of this report accurately and honestly. Poorly written and thoughtless responses will not count toward your service hour total. Falsifying hours or other aspects of the service report is a violation of the school’s academic and integrity policy and therefore are subject to the same consequences.
 
New Process for Service Hours
1. Download MobileServe App & Create Account
Download for Android
Download for IPhone
Or access MobileServe from your computer.
2. Access Training Slides if You Have Questions
Click Here For Slides
 
3. At the end of your service "shift" while still on site, open up MobileServe and "Log Hours." 
Complete as many forms of verification as you can (Supervisor Information and Signature or Photo Documentation).
 
4. If you are not able to utilize Mobile Serve, which should rarely happen, please utilize the organization’s official letterhead and attending supervisor’s name, email, and signature along with date, time, and description of service.

Click here to print the Service Hours Acknowledgement Form

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