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NetCompass Comments
May 23, 2000
by MaryAnn Gardner |
PRESIDENT'S STUDENT SERVICE AWARD
Another opportunity
to recognize our scouts
for their service and encourage them to greater achievement.
Marianne Piccione, the current Council
International Representative for the Central Florida Council, and a member of Troop 225's
Troop Committee, suggested, "You may want to let people know about the President's
Student Service Award."
Scoutmaster Franco Piccione and
the Leaders and Scouts of Troop 225 have been presenting this award since January of 1999.
Four Scouts have earned the Gold Award and 7 have earned the Silver.
According to the President's Student
Service Challenge(PSSC) web site:
Millions of students volunteer every day - improving communities and making America
stronger. Launched this year [1999], the President's Student Service Challenge is an
opportunity for schools, colleges, and community organizations to recognize these young
people for their outstanding community service and to encourage more young people to serve.
|
The Service Awards Segment |
| Name: |
President's Student
Service Award - Gold Award and Silver Award |
| Who is
eligible: |
Any full time
student, kindergarten through college (Gold Award)
Any full time student, kindergarten through eighth grade (Silver Award) |
| Requirements:
|
Gold-100
hours community service. Silver-50 hours community service. |
| Who
Certifies: |
the student's
school, college, or community organization |
| What is
Received: |
A pin (gold
or silver) specially designed by the White House, a presidential certificate, and a letter
from the President. |
| Deadline: |
Certification
forms accepted year-round. |
| Forms/Applications: |
Award
Certification Forms, Award Order Forms, and Student Service Tracking Forms are available
online. |
The Scholarship Segment
The President's Student Service
Challenge also has a scholarship segment available to high school juniors and seniors.
Scholarships for outstanding community service are available to students in every high
school in the USA. Schools may award two $1000 scholarships each year. The web site
states:
The Corporation for National Service provides $500
for each scholarship matched with $500 from the
community. In addition to the scholarship, students
receive a scholarship certificate, a letter from the President,
and the President's Student Service Award gold pin. |
Piccione says, "We track individual service hours for the Scouts in our Troop and
have awarded a total of 11 Silver and Gold Presidential Service Awards. Boys under 15 have
to do 50 hours of community service in any 12 month period to get the Silver Award. Those
15 and older get the Gold Award for 100 hours in a 12 month period (almost a given for
most Eagle recipients). The documentation is almost too easy to believe and the cost for a
certificate and pin for a Scout is only $2.00."
"We use Troopmaster
software to track all our Scouts activities. If a Scout brings us a signed document
from his school or place of worship where he has done community service, we place these
hours under the 'priors' section and he gets full credit for any community service he has
provided within any 12 month period."
She says, "Although not an
official BSA pin, each of the boys who have earned this Award proudly wear it for all of
our Courts of Honor and other very special events."
According to Marianne, orders for pins
are fulfilled in a timely manner. "We have experienced a consistent 10 -14 day
turn around from time of mailing the application and receiving the certificate and
pin."
The Troop Committee also helped a Scout
receive a PSSC scholarship. "By working with one of our Scout's high school
counselor and principal we were able to have them obtain the matching funds and present
him with the $1,000 Presidential Service Gold Award Scholarship last May. We feel this is
a very worthwhile, yet easy to administer recognition for Scouting's involvement in
community service."
My thanks to Marianne, whose prior Scouting service includes time spent as the District
Advancement Chair and a Troop ASM. She agreed to discuss her experiences with this
award with anyone who wishes to contact her at Mjwp0610@aol.com.
It was her taking the time to send a
quick email that drew my attention to this award. I appreciate it. I will
happily promote anything that recognizes our young people for their public service.
Marianne, you have not only touched the lives of many Scouts by that email - there is no
way to calculate how many lives will be improved and communities helped by your gesture of
good will. You are another example of Scouting at its best.
* * * * *
Visit the PSSC web site for more information about the program, the
awards, and the Scholarships.
To learn about another award available
to our youth, visit our Congressional Award
Compass Point.
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