The end of the year is the usual time where students start to turn in their hours for the year and wrap up with the club/organization with ceremonies and cords. However, things have been changed and adjusted with the unprecedented time and hardships of reaching volunteer requirement hours due to COVID-19.  

“For UNICEF, the club decided to change the required amount of hours from 20 hours to 15 hours,” UNICEF president Alyssa Zhang says. As she further explains that the club averaged that 20 hours a year would be about 5 hours a quarter. So that in turn the hours requirement depended on mainly 3 quarters. 

However, several seniors had not had an issue with this as they were asked to submit at least 15 hours before spring break had started. In addition to adjusting to times now though, “UNICEF members turned in hour logs to our sponsor Sra. Noriega via email,” Zhang continues. 

“The hour requirement for NHS has always been 30 regular service hours and then 4 special hours that are NHS specific events,” NHS club sponsor Kelsey Rowe explains. However, adds emphasis in which the organization had adjusted their hours through communication with their students. Adjusting the hour requirement down to 20 hours of regular service and at least 2 special NHS-specific hours now with documentation of these hours submitted electronically by May 1st.

“I think it is fair to reduce the hours requirement because all the events starting from the middle of spring break till the end of 4th quarter were cancelled, members would be unable to attend the volunteering events they signed up for,” Zhang adds. Including that adjusting hours for club members were vitally important during these times. 

“The due date for the NHS hours was not too far away so most of the NHS students had already completed their required hours,” Rowe explains. Determined that at that point in the semesters that having students complete 20 service hours and 2 NHS-specific hours completes was a fair requirement. 

“All members now have to turn in their hours via email and text which is not a big change and has worked well,” communications officer for NHS Miri Chan explains. So that while there are big changes to the application process, there is still some relatively easy way to access and submit hours. 

However, many clubs have reached hoping that when school resumes that the original service requirements will return back to normal. 

The situation is very fluid and, with COVID19 constantly changing, we are definitely willing to modify requirements if deemed necessary,” Rowe concludes. With the pandemic of the situation, there is the precautionary steps to take to adjust during COVID-19.