Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and Keller ISD’s extended closures, requirements to receive a green cord have been changed to 80 hours. The previous requirement of 100 hours has been modified to suit the current nature of everyone’s situation.
The 25 hour requirement prior to last semester still applies, meaning that a student cannot qualify for a cord this year if they didn’t meet the 25 hour requirement in December. This year, the 25 school hours and 40 community hours are waived. As long as the 80 hour mark has been met, students are still able to gain their green cord.
Service hours must be submitted and verified by Thursday, April 30.
If students were close to finishing their 80 hours but barely missed the mark, they can still gain their green cord if they were an active member and if they were listed to volunteer in planned events.
Listed on the Student Council website, there are several opportunities to gain hours while at home.
One opportunity students may choose to receive green cord hours is by reading to elementary students. Volunteers can reach out to elementary teachers or librarians to read to their class. Students can do this through a Zoom meeting or a recording of them reading. The teacher should be the verifier, and students can enter 30 minutes per reading session. Students can earn up to a maximum of 10 hours through this method.
Secondly, students can create face masks to donate. Students can reach out to neighborhood medical offices, dental clinics, retirement homes, and many more. Students can also donate to their neighbors or community members in need. The masks must be durable, reusable, and washable for healthcare facilities.
The links below are patterns suggested by healthcare facilities:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mask patterns and tips can be found by clicking here. There’s even a no see way to make masks.
- Instructions on how to make a pleated face mask can be found by clicking here.
- This video shows a way to make a mask with a pocket for a replaceable filter. And UnityPoint Health has links to a mask pattern and video that offers additional examples.
When submitting hours into x2VOl, students should include the number of masks made and the type of materials. Each durable, reusable, washable mask delivered to a facility that can use the mask while count as 45 minutes. While disposable masks count as 30 minutes per mask. Students can earn up to 15 hours donated to facilities and 10.5 hours donated to community members.
If they so choose, students can share photos of their masks and dropping them off to the green cord advisor, Daniel Ward by emailing him at daniel.ward@kellerisd.net.
“We have a great bunch of students with servant’s hearts who really want to help those around them and make the world a better, happier place,” Ward said. “And even though we are apart we can still come together to find ways to share joy, lift others up, or aid those who can’t help themselves because of the current situation. We can still find ways to help.”
