Saint Thomas Academy Senior Service Program

Ex Umbris in Veritatem

Out of the Darkness into the Truth 

Saint Thomas Academy invites students to cultivate a vital and relevant spirituality through service, reflection and prayer. The school’s goal is to empower students by encouraging them to become servant-leaders who respect others and work for justice and peace. Since this dimension of a student’s development is an integral part of its mission, the Academy has a graduation requirement of 40 service hours, which are completed outside of school, along with ten hours of reflection and social analysis, which are incorporated into the senior Theology Social Justice course.

These 50 hours complement a two-week “Senior Project,” which is completed during the last two weeks of senior year, where students are mentored in their responsibilities within one of 40 Church, social service, educational or health related agencies. Through this experience, students gain insight, compassion, communication, and helping skills, while working with inner-city children, senior citizens, the homeless, the sick and dying, physically and mentally challenged children and adults, and newly arrived neighbors. The Academy hopes that this program will give our graduating students the opportunity to discover the heart of Jesus and live in His spirit forever.

Jane Doyle
Program Director
651-683-1561 or jdoyle@cadets.com

Senior Service Program Overview:

  Part 1: Senior Service Graduation Requirement  (June 2011– March 9, 2012)

  Part 2: Senior Projects: seven days

• Friday, May 18
• Monday, May 21 – Friday, May 25
• Tuesday, May 29

Senior Service Graduation Requirement:
40 hours of direct service and 10 hours of reflection and social analysis

• A minimum of 30 of the 40 hours is to be done at one primary agency (Church, social service, educational, health related agency).
• Social analysis and reflection will be accomplished by completing eight out of 12 guided service journal entries. This journal is to be completed and graded through Theology classes.

Service Hours Deadlines:

• 20 hours of direct service … Friday, December 9, 2011
• 20 more hours of direct service … Friday, March 9 2012

Journal Deadlines:

• Four entries … December 9, 2011 … second quarter grading system
• Four entries … March 9, 2012 … third quarter grading system

How to register hours:

Students must register their hours in the Senior Service binder found in Mrs. Doyle’s office. Each student will find a personalized sheet with his own name in the Service binder. Students are to register their hours on this login sheet and, then, put the verification sheet in the filing binder provided. If students are unable to have verification sheet signed off by supervisor at the time of the service event, students should ask supervisor to fax verification to Mrs. Doyle. STA’s fax number is 651-454-4574. All service hours beyond the required 40 hours should be recorded in case of service scholarships students may qualify for. 

Senior Projects 2012       
7 days of six hours of service

• Selection of Senior Project Agency teams will take place at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in the gym. Placement in agencies and on teams will be determined on a “first come, first serve” basis and will follow the “order of selection” list established throughout the year as students complete and register hours. This list will be updated weekly and can be seen in a sub-page to the left.
• Service will be done at one of 30 + agencies (Church / Social Service / Educational / Health Care Agency) who partner and mentor seniors in the end of the year’s projects. A description of this year’s agencies will be available by the end of February.     

Who qualifies to participate in May Senior Projects?

• Students who have completed their service graduation requirement by the end of third quarter on Friday, March 9, will be eligible to participate the Senior Service Projects. This requirement includes:

     1. 40 hours of service completed, signed off by supervisor, and recorded in binder by March 9, 2012.
     2. Journal (reflection / analysis component) signed off by Theology teacher.
        Students will forfeit their place in the “order of selection” list if they fail to meet this requirement
        by March 9, 2012.

• Students in good standing will participate:

      1. Academic Probation Policies apply:
          Students on academic probation will not participate in the Senior Projects.
          Academic probation is set with the fourth quarter mid- term progress reports.

      2. Students with Disciplinary, Attendance/Tardy Concerns:
          Students on Mr. Sjoberg’s or Mr. Edel’s list of disciplinary concerns will not be eligible to
         participate in Senior Projects.

Students who do not qualify for Senior Projects will remain at STA and work on their academics
in order to meet graduation requirements.