Volunteer Service and Paid Work Guidelines

  • Bright Futures – Florida Academic Scholars Award, Florida Medallion Award, Gold Seal Vocational Award

    The student must complete a program of volunteer service or, beginning with a high school student graduating in the 2022-2023 academic year and thereafter, paid work, as approved by the district school board, the administrators of a non-public school, or the Department of Education for home education program students, which must include 100 hours of volunteer service, paid work, or a combination of both. Eligible paid work completed on or after June 27th, 2022, shall be included in the student’s total of paid work hours. The student may identify a social or civic issue or a professional area that interests him or her and develop a plan for his or personal involvement in addressing the issue or learning about the area. The student must, through papers or other presentations, evaluate and reflect upon his or her volunteer service or paid work experience. (Florida Statute 1009.534)

    Volunteer Service or Paid Work may include, but is not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office. These hours will meet the requirement for the Florida Bright Futures Award Program. Students must satisfy the hours requirement by either completing all volunteer hours, completing all 100 paid work hours, or completing 100 combined volunteer and paid work hours.

    Scholarship Volunteer Hours OR* Paid Work Hours OR* Combination of Volunteer or Paid Work Hours*
    Florida Academic Scholarship (FAS) 100 OR*   100   OR*   100  
    Florida Medallion Scholarship (FMS) 75 OR*   100  

    OR*  

    		 100  
    Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship (GSV) 30 OR*   100   OR*   100  
    Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship (GSC) 30 OR*   100   OR*   100  

    *Volunteer service hours may be combined with paid work hours to reach a total of 100 at each level (FAS, FMS, GSV, GSC)

    How to document volunteer hours:

    • Volunteer service hours must be submitted on the proper district form and submitted to the school counseling office at your school
      Volunteer Services Log Form>>

    How to document paid work hours:

    • Paid work hours must be submitted on the proper district form and submitted to the school counseling office at your school
    • A copy of a pay stub may be submitted in lieu of a signature and must be attached to the paid work hours documentation form
      Paid Work Hours Log Form>>

    Hours That Are Not Acceptable

    • Court mandated community/volunteer service.
    • An activity where there is no leader or responsible adult on site to evaluate and confirm student performance.
    • Donations (ex. blood, Locks of Love, canned food)
    • Hours submitted after graduation.
    • Fostering of animals
    • Hours performed overnight at camps or designated events (exception Relay for Life).
    • Volunteer or paid work hours earned prior to the completion of 8th grade.

    Other General Guidelines

    • Any volunteer service hours submitted or approved after the graduation date, even if earned prior to graduation will not be accepted. No Exceptions.
    • Only paid work hours earned beginning June 27th, 2022 and thereafter will be accepted.
    • Students must perform the volunteer service during non-school hours.
    • A parent/guardian cannot represent as a service agency or work contact.
    • Volunteer Service/Paid Work hours will be capped at eight hours per day.

    Sample Volunteer Organziations>>