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CSCS HS Student Ministries Community Service |
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SERVICE: The Student Ministries Department will empower, equip and release students to serve in the Kingdom of God.
Student Ministries Home Leadership Ministry Service
All School Retreat Calendar Pictures
Service Page Links:
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God has called all believers to serve one another, our community and God’s creation, as part of His Kingdom lifestyle. We will encourage, promote and enable as many students as possible to be involved in service by providing organized activities for them to join or by providing contacts for opportunities outside our abilities to provide. Additionally, we will provide advanced opportunities for students who have discovered a passion for service where they can become more integrally involved in serving CSCS, our community and the world. |
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Month of Service
The goal of our Month of Service was to light a fire for Christ-centered service in the CSCS student body and to create a passion for devoting time to others that will burn in the hearts of our students for a lifetime. The Month of Service was a partnership between our 3 CSCS service communities (National Honor Society, El Pomar Youth In Community Service and the Student Service Committee) and the Chancellor’s Leadership Class at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Our combined push toward service focused on benefit drives and serving non-profit organizations in the Community; the scope of our service ran from serving within the school to service communities around the globe.
The Month of Service kicked off with a chapel where a number of our projects included record number of participants including our Great Fall Clean Up and our Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive.
On October 25th, 95 students stayed after school to help rake leaves between the high school and elementary school and the high school and the practice fields. The Senate Service Committee provided pizza and drinks for those who were going out to clean yards.
Our National Honor Society Executive Council oversaw our participation in the Harvest of Love food drive for Care & Share of Southern Colorado. The high school brought in a total of 6,383 pounds with the Juniors bringing a total of 3491 pounds. Mrs. Johnson’s EXCEL and the NHS council packed the boxes and delivered them to Care & Share.
The El Pomar Youth In Community Service Committee organized and promoted Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive for children in the garbage communities of South America. The High School brought in 301 shoeboxes with Mrs. Gibney’s class bringing in the most boxes at 64 total. The Main CSCS campuses (high school, middle school, elementary school and Handprints) brought in a total of 1,018 shoeboxes. Mr. Blackburn’s’ EXCEL group, NHS & EPYCS members helped to pack and load the boxes for delivery to the local collection center. Mrs. Debbie Merritt was the OCC project coordinator for CSCS, and Mr. John Merritt rented a U-Haul and transported the boxes from CSCS campuses to the collection center.
With the assistance of Kyle Meddings (Student Director of Program Operations for UCCS’ Chancellor’s Leadership Class & CSCS alumnus, 2005), our studetns participated in two Partners in Housing projects, a project at Bear Creek Nature Center and an afternoon of cleaning and repairs at KPC Kids. Partners for Housing provides homeless families with children the hope and opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency through supportive services and transitional housing. During our two projects our students stained fences and decks at one house and did yard work at two other houses in preparation for the families that were moving into their new homes. Mr. Holtrop’s EXCEL group attended our final MOS project by doing clean up and repair work at KPC Kids. KPC Kids is an emergency child care facility for children 1 day old to 12 years old. Our EPYCS Committee has given grants to KPC Kids in years past.
Our students also helped with a coat drive sponsored by the school’s Development Department, Q102 and the Springs Rescue Mission.
The High School Month of Service was an awesome opportunity for our students to be more involved in leadership—some for the first time. The chapel and EXCEL group discussions provided the opportunities for teachers and students to engage on the issues of service to our school, families and communities. Many studetns alsoparticipated in service through their churches, with their families and athletic teams. I believe that our student body generally increased their interest in service, though the finalresults on that won’t be seen for years.
Our leadership team consisted of some of our best leaders. They learned a greatdeal about working together, working with non-profit organizations,motivating their peers andGod’s passion for service. They also learned that motivating thestudent body towards God’s heart for service was more difficult than first thought and that the idea of service is not always received with open arms and minds by Christians making motivation toward service an uphill battle. Through this, our team learned to persevere through the hardship of promoting a just cause even when it isn’t always well received by others.
Amazing team leadership included:
- Paige Waters (EPYCS President)
- Sara Guy (NHS President)
- Alexis Worcester (Senate Service Committee, EPCYS VP)
- Spencer Fehrenbacher (NHS VP)
- Aaron Hinze (Treasurer)
- Ashley Trimbach (Chapel Speaker)
- Kyle Meddings (UCCS student & CSCS alumni)
- Debbie Merritt (OCC project coordinator)
- Mr. Winn (his support & advice)
- Andy Boucher (sponsor)
CSCS Service Clubs & Organizations
The National Honor Society chapter of CSCHS currently has 58 members (35 seniors and 23 juniors). NHS runs the Operation Christmas Child drive each fall, helps with the all-school fundraiser in the spring, and members may be called on to tutor younger students. Members are required to keep their cumulative weighted grade point average at 3.80 and do 10 hours of community service each quarter. These hours are usually attained through working in churches, community projects and activities provided by the school.
Officers: President: Sara
Vice President: Spencer
Sponsor: Mr. Kevin Angell (extension: 2142)For those interested or who belong to NHS: At the beginning of 2nd semester each school year, qualified and deserving juniors and seniors are considered for induction into the National Honor Society. Students who have completed 5 semesters of high school credit with at least one of these semesters at CSCS and have a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.80 or higher will be sent a letter of eligibility. Interested students will then turn in completed activity forms, a written essay, and at least two letters of recommendation. Students are selected by a committee of faculty members on the basis of scholarship, leadership, service and character. Students who are inducted but subsequently fall below the standard will be provided a letter of warning and a one semester opportunity to improve. A second warning will constitute the beginning of dismissal procedures. Dismissal procedures include the right of due process.
New members were inducted on Sunday, February 17, 2008. More information on the national program is available here.
El Pomar Youth in Community Service (EPYCS)
CSCHS is privileged to be one of the 28 Colorado Springs area high schools involved in the El Pomar Youth in Community Service leadership and philanthropy program. High school students work with their El Pomar Program Associate and their school advisor to create a school mission statement, raise money that is matched 15 fold by the El Pomar Foundation, do community service projects, attend workshops to enhance their understanding of the grant making process and the nonprofit sector, review and interview non-profits that match their mission statement, and finally give away all of the money to non-profits of the students’ choice.
Officers: President: Paige
Vice President: Alexis
Sponsor: Mr. Andie Boucher (extension: 2250)This year, our mission statement is as follows:
After surveying the Colorado Springs Christian High School student body, the EPYCS committee as representative of the school, has chosen to support non-profit organizations from El Paso and Teller counties that focus on Family, Environment, and Welfare. Specific areas of concern for the 2007-2008 school year are: drug and alcohol abuse; wildlife preservation; literacy; homelessness; and mental health and suicide.
The 2007-8 EPYCS Committee will be led by Alexis (2008) and Paige (2008). The EPYCS committee will review grant proposals based on this Mission Statement in the spring of 2008. Upcoming dates of importance:
- Student Body survey taken; 9/24/07
- Mission Statements Due: 10/26/07
- Grant proposals due: 1/14/08
- Granting decisions due: 3/14/08
- Grant presentations made: 4/29/08
In the 2006-7 school year, our mission statement this year is as follows:
“After surveying the Colorado Springs Christian High School student body, the EPYCS committee, as representatives of the school, has chosen to support non-profit organizations from El Paso and Teller counties that focus on Health, Human Services, and Welfare. Specific areas of concern for the 2005-2006 school year are: substance abuse, mental health, suicide, child care, teen pregnancy, homelessness and special-needs children”
Grants included:
- $1000 to Imagination Celebration
- $1000 to Women’s Resource Agency, Inc.
- $2400 to KIDPOWER
- $1000 to Colorado’s Childhood Cancer & Disabilities Camps, Inc.
- $600 to Kids Crossing, Inc.
- $600 to Franciscan Community Counseling
Technical Arts & Production
The CSCS Student Ministries Technical Arts Department is centered around providing professional quality events to the school, while training students for service that can carry them throughout their lives. They cooperate with the school Audio Visual director to provide a culture oriented God centered environment.
Sound
The Sound team provides sound for student led events. It consists of dedicated students that are specifically talented and skilled in the area of sound. --James Diest (`07)Lead Sound Tech: Ryan “Scrat” (`08)
Audio Tech Teacher: Mr. Ben KearseyVideo
The video team is made up of dedicated students that are specifically talented in the area of video editing and graphic design. They provide videos and printed promotion to endorse Student Ministry sponsored events. --Barry Pompea (`07)
Video Team: Jerry (`09)
Kristoff (`10)Lights
The Lighting Department consists of hard-working students providing their skills to bring quality lighting to events
--Suki Spencer (`07)top of page
