EHHS – and the state of Connecticut – requires 20 hours of community service for all students before they are eligible for graduation. It is recommended for students to do at least 5 hours of community service each year to be best prepared for graduation.
Community service is known to have a positive impact on not only the students who participate, on the school and organizations you’re helping. Here are some community service opportunities for students here at EHHS.
- East Haven Food Pantry – 39 Park Pl, (203) 467 – 4668
- East Haven Animal Shelter – 183 Commerce St, (203) 468 – 3249
- Hagaman Memorial Library – 227 Main Street, (203) 468 – 3890
- East Haven Senior Center – 91 Taylor Ave, (203) 468 – 3277
Mrs. Carley Vesneski said community service hours could possibly affect your chances of getting into colleges because when they look at your transcripts, permanent record and applications they tend to choose the students who have more hours alongside grades and attendance rather than someone who has less. Colleges are interested in how involved you were with your school; community service is not required in college but they do encourage students to volunteer. It’s a good opportunity to give back to your community and the small organizations who need help and don’t know where to get it.
Principal Vincent DeNuzzo and Assistant Principal Anthony Russell believe community service is known to have a positive impact on students because it teaches them how to get out of their comfort zones, how to communicate with others, meet new people, build new relationships and learn independence. They also believe that it gives students a chance to give back to their community and feel more involved and have an opportunity to have a non-paid experience to see what having a job could be like in the future.
Any student, along with incoming freshmen, could complete community service hours during the summer, as long as they get their community service paper signed off by a supervisor.
