Albion reinstates community service requirement to graduate

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 August 2021 at 9:03 am

Class of 2022 needs 7.5 hours, instead of 30

Photo by Tom Rivers: These Albion students pick up trash on March 24 near the railroad tracks close to Platt Street. A group of students and Rotary Club members filled 23 bags with trash that day.

ALBION – The Board of Education has reinstated the community service requirement to graduate, after waiving the need for community service hours for the Class of 2020 and 2021.

The district didn’t require community service to graduate the past two school years due to Covid-19 restrictions that made it more difficult for students to volunteer with local organizations, businesses and churches.

The district has required students to have at least 30 hours of documented community service to graduate. Albion will phase in to get back to the 30 hours over the next four years.

Members of the Class of 2022, who will be seniors this coming year, will need to fulfill 25 percent of the previous requirement or at least 7.5 hours, followed by 15 hours for the Class of 2023. The standard will be at least 22.5 hours for the Class of 2024, and then the full 30 hours for the Class of 2025.

Jennifer Ashbery, the high school principal, requested the return of the community service requirement. The Board of Education on Monday voted in support of her request.

Students that meet the threshold for community service also receive a 0.5 credit. Albion has had the 30-hour community service requirement in place beginning with the Class of 1998.