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As the school year progresses, many students face new challenges in balancing academic and extracurricular responsibilities.

While ninth and tenth graders focus on enjoying high school and maintaining grades, juniors and seniors are encouraged to start discussing college and considering their future. 

Often, events are held to inform students about graduation requirements. However, many juniors are unaware of a crucial requirement: accumulating volunteer hours in a program called service learning.

In the second semester of their junior year, all eleventh graders are required to complete four volunteer hours or a requirement their U.S History teacher assigns. This requirement is managed through a Service Learning course added to students’ Schoology.

“I actually don’t know why we do this project,” Social Science Teacher, Mr.Ferrin said. “All I know is that when I came to this school, they said I had to do this and could choose what to assign.”

With deadlines approaching and opportunities dwindling, being aware of this requirement is crucial.

“I’m in the medical magnet, so I need hours to graduate, and I wasn’t told about this before,” junior Josefina Flores said. 

Students in the Medical and Math Science Magnets must accumulate 100 volunteer hours, while all other students only need the district required four.

“I think it seems like a lot of work to do for only four hours,” Flores said. “Plus, why do we only get one semester?”

Applying to be a volunteer can be as simple as an interview and providing necessary information such as consent forms, physicals and TB tests. But other places may require letters of recommendation or multiple interviews.

“What I do know is that this is a requirement for every LAUSD student, regardless of what each U.S. History teacher assigns their class to do,” Mr.Ferrin said. “I assign hours and I know other U.S. History teachers have their own requirements.”

Flores believes it would be easier for students to complete these steps in the first semester, allowing more time to work the rest of the year.

“Magnets already have their own requirements for students,” she said. “Everyone already has a lot to do; so why is this minor thing added during the second semester?”

With constant reminders and significant pressure, most juniors see junior year as the year that decides their future. 

Adding an extra requirement during the second semester does not ease their stress.

“I’m not sure why we do it during Junior year,” Mr.Ferrin said. “I know some schools that assign some project since Freshman year. It’s really up to the school, then the teacher.”

Better communication from school administration regarding these requirements may help ensure students are well-informed and prepared.

While grades, tests and extracurricular activities are often emphasized, smaller but equally important requirements like volunteer hours can be easily overlooked, leaving juniors like Flores, already juggling academic performance and extracurriculars, scrambling at the last minute to meet these expectations. 

Clearer messaging at the start of the year during junior assemblies would give students ample time to plan and complete their hours without any unnecessary pressure.

“Honestly, school and the other personal things I have to get done in order to graduate take priority over some random requirement added after everything,” Flores said.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 print edition.