Service & Awards
Presidential Volunteer Service Award
The President’s Volunteer Service Award program began in 2003 to encourage and reward America’s proud tradition of volunteer service. The PVSA recognizes the valuable contributions volunteers are making in our communities and encourages more people to serve.
This Presidential award program is a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period and cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime. Excellence in Learning Community Co-op is thrilled to be recognized as a certifying organization for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
As a cooperative model, we are a community of families that are working together to create a wonderful learning environment for all of our children. We ask families to help 1/2 the time they are at co-op as they are able. This can be helping in your child's class, helping kids find their way through the building (hall monitor), helping to clean up, setting up for lunch, helping with yearbook, taking pictures, helping with an event or field trip, taking a meal to a new mom, helping in the library - there are MANY ways to help. Coordinators exist to help you navigate co-op and are flexible and understanding, especially with mom's of very young children. We understand you are here to participate and enjoy classes with your kids, and we have designed this model to ensure every family has time to just fellowship and hang out.
Each family is responsible for tracking their service hours. Families will record their hours and then turn in their service hours worksheet the last Thursday of each month. To receive credit for volunteer hours you must complete the monthly service hours form below. EVERY PERSON AT CO-OP ages 5 and up can complete this form, however, you can not sign off on your own hours and parents can not sign off on their own child's hours.
Service Hour awards are awarded based on cumulative hours. Hours will be calculated from January 1 of the current year through December 31 of the following year.
Board Member hours are signed by Amanda Sillin
Coordinator hours are signed by Lyndsay Mueller
Teacher Volunteer (unpaid) Hours are signed by Christy Huy
Helper hours are signed by the appropriate teacher or coordinator
Student hours may be signed by any supervising adult that is not the student's parent or guardian
Presidential Award Eligibility and Guidelines
Award Eligibility
United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e., green card holder)
Must be at least five years old
Completes eligible service within a 12-month period (for annual Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards) and over a lifetime (for Lifetime Achievement Awards)
Eligible Service:
Unpaid acts of volunteer service benefitting others
Service through National service programs that provide a stipend (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) may count towards the Lifetime Achievement Award, but not for the annual Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards)
Travel stipends, transit/parking passes, membership passes, expense reimbursements, and other nominal volunteer support do not impact service eligibility
Eligible Service does not include:
Donating funds
Political lobbying (Non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity)
Conducting worship service
Proselytizing
Volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service
Serving only family members