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How to Earn Community Service Hours on Rustic Pathways Programs

assisting with home construction projects in the Dominican Republic

Community Service Certificates

Community service hours, also called volunteer hours, are the documented time a student spends on unpaid service work. On Rustic Pathways programs, students earn them in service projects such as construction, beach cleanups and English lessons, and the total is recorded on a certificate after the program.

Looking for the President’s Volunteer Service Award? See where the award stands.

Community service programs offer an opportunity for students to earn community service hours. The maximum number of community service hours for each program is included in the program description.

The total number of hours a student receives is awarded based on the student’s hours of full participation in that service project.

Students will receive a Community Service Certificate from Rustic Pathways documenting the number of community service hours earned after their programs. Most high schools will honor these hours and count them towards graduation requirements.

Rustic Pathways students can choose from a wide range of summer volunteer programs for high school students, each designed to maximize meaningful service while earning documented hours toward graduation.

What is the President’s Volunteer Service Award?

The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) is a national award program, run by AmeriCorps, that recognizes volunteers for their documented service hours.

AmeriCorps has paused the national President’s Volunteer Service Award program since May 2025, so certifying organizations cannot order new awards while the pause continues. Hours earned on a Rustic Pathways program are still recorded on the student’s Community Service Certificate.

Who issues the President’s Volunteer Service Award?

Certifying organizations verify volunteer hours and issue the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Rustic Pathways is a certified President’s Volunteer Service Award awarding organization.

From 2022 through 2024, before the pause began, 31 Climate Leaders Fellowship participants earned 34 President’s Volunteer Service Awards.

Expectations for Student Community Service Hours

In order to earn community service hours from Rustic Pathways, students will be expected to participate fully in all of the service activities that are a part of the program. Full participation means that students:

  • Complete assigned tasks to the best of their abilities;
  • Respect local hosts and host cultures, Rustic Pathways staff, and the environment;
  • Follow instructions from program leaders and local project leaders;
  • Dress appropriately and respectfully;
  • Actively and positively influence group morale

Read more: The Best Summer Volunteer Programs for High School Students

What counts towards Community Service Hours?

Direct Service:

Service hours are typically based on how much time students are engaged in direct service such as working on a construction project, cleaning up a beach, leading English lessons with local students, and other hands-on projects.

Indirect Service:

Some programs award service hours for indirect service. Indirect service hours are awarded for time spent in activities that are necessary and preparatory for student-led projects that have a direct community benefit. For example, a program may award service hours for meetings conducted with local NGOs that prepare students to develop a health awareness campaign.

Project Preparation:

Activities such as preparing lessons and activities for educational enrichment projects or arranging materials for a construction-based project are included in service hour awards.

What does not count towards a Rustic Pathways Service Hour?

Travel Time:

Travel to a project site is not included in service hour awards.

Breaks and Lunch:

Short rest breaks taken during a project activity are included in the service hours awarded on a given day, although lunch breaks and extended breaks from the project work are not included.

What happens when a project is canceled?

If a scheduled activity cannot take place (due to weather, changes on the part of the project partner, or other reasons), Rustic Pathways will work to identify alternative projects, hold a relevant service-related discussion or a planning session for a future project to make up the service hours that were planned for that time. If alternate activities are not possible, students cannot be awarded hours for that time.

Additional Resources: