Helping the helpers
At Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), community service is not just a school activity; 20 hours are required to graduate. Volunteering not only fosters a sense of civic duty among students, but also enriches their academic and personal growth through real-world experiences. The class of 2024 has registered more than 16,000 volunteer hours to date.
In the past, tracking these volunteer hours involved heavy paperwork by RCHS office staff. Today, with the app Helper Helper, it is a one-stop shop for volunteers. Students can search for an organization that is meaningful to them, find shifts that are available, register for service and then log their service hours. Once they have completed their volunteer service, the organization sends instant confirmation via email or text.
Helper Helper not only simplifies the workload by integrating directly with Infinite Campus for easy report generation for students (and cumulatively for the entire school), but the digital platform empowers students. They can now access their service transcripts in real-time, which proves invaluable for college applications and scholarship opportunities.
Here are just a few of the area organizations looking for volunteers on Helper Helper:
- Buffalo Ridge Elementary
- Castle Rock Historical Society & Museum
- City of Castle Pines
- Cycle Movement
- Douglas County Libraries
- Fox Creek Elementary an
- Great Wall Chinese Academy
- Highlands Ranch Community Association Backcountry Wilderness
- Legacy Village
- Lone Creek Farms.
- Mane Mission Ranch
- Medals4Meddle
- Nourish Meals on Wheels
- Pax Christi Catholic Church
- Redstone Elementary
- Rocky Heights Middle School
- Schweiger Ranch
- Sedalia Elementary
- Spirit for the Seasons
- The American Diabetes Association
- The Aspen Effect
- Timber Trail Elementary
These suggestions are specific to the Helper Helper app. If students find a volunteer opportunity that is not listed in Helper Helper, they can present it to the school counselor for verification. Once confirmed as legitimate, the student can complete a form to have those hours added to Helper Helper.
By Dani Salas
