ECS Pride In Service FAQs

No. This is an optional opportunity for students in grades 6-8.

Students in Endeavor’s Pride Scholar Pathway, National Junior Honor Society, and/or Student Council may use their required service hours toward the ECS Pride in Service Distinction.

No. Community service hours are cumulative throughout a student's middle school years. Students can begin earning hours in June prior to beginning sixth grade and continue adding to their total during seventh and eighth grades. The goal is to encourage students to develop an ongoing commitment to service rather than complete all of their hours at once. The program specifically recognizes community service involvement throughout the middle school years.

No. The distinction levels recognize different amounts of service completed during middle school. Students are encouraged to participate in meaningful service and build their hours over time. Families can help students set a personal service goal that is both challenging and manageable.

Students should maintain an accurate record of their community service and complete the appropriate ECS Community Service Form. Families should encourage students to record service promptly rather than trying to reconstruct their hours months later. Students should always make a copy or take a photo of their Community Service Log prior to submission. Please read “Directions for Submitting Hours” for specific information.

For service hours earned after June 2026, students should use the current Endeavor Community Service Form. This form includes space for the service activity, date, time worked, and the signature and email of the event host. This form needs to be turned in by the announced deadline (usually the third Monday in May) to Ms. Doyle’s mailbox.

No. Families should follow the verification requirements on the current Community Service Form, which require a signature from the individual who hosted, organized, or led the event. The “Old Hours” form is the only form on which a parent may sign off for qualifying previously completed hours.

Yes. The ECS materials state that previously earned hours can count, but hours earned before June 2026 require the special “Old Hours” Community Service Form and follow different submission requirements. A parent may sign this particular form.

Yes. “Old hours” will only be accepted through Friday, December 18, 2026. Families with eligible service completed before June 2026 should make sure those hours are submitted using the correct form by the deadline.

Beginning with the new semester, students will use the standard Endeavor Community Service Form. All service hours earned after June 2026 should be recorded on that form.

Community service is defined as unpaid work that a student voluntarily performs to benefit others, support a community need, or contribute to a nonprofit, school, civic, charitable, or community organization. Community service should provide a meaningful benefit to people or the community beyond the student’s immediate family. Examples of community service include, but are not limited to, organizing food drives at North East Wake Backpack Buddies or other local food pantries, Girl Scout or Boy Scout projects, prepping, cooking, or serving meals, etc.

Students should contact Ms. Doyle at bdoyle@endeavorcharter.com before beginning an activity if they are uncertain whether it will qualify. This is especially important before committing significant time to an activity.

Students are welcome to check out local organizations including:

North East Wake Backpack Buddies
Ronald McDonald House of Durham & Wake
Saving Grace Animals for Adoption NC
Tri-Area Food Ministry
Volunteer Wake Forest
Gleaning America’s Fields: Feeding America’s Hungry

Throughout the school year, ECS will offer various on- and off-campus activities for students to earn service hours. These opportunities are often announced each morning and can be found on the Service Bulletin Board outside room 607. Such events may include: Lend-a-Paw, Fun Fest, ECS library, food drives, gleaning, etc.

Service-type electives like Student Assistant or PEPI do not count for hours as students earn a grade at the end of each quarter. Other activities in which compensation is earned do not count. Other activities, like singing in your church choir or performing in a local band, are noble and great civic engagement activities but will not count for service hours.  Should your choir perform at a local assisted living facility, that would count as service.

Note: Recycling Club and/or grade level service events (campus clean ups and gleaning) will count towards service hours.

Yes, service is not limited to the regular school year. The program recognizes service accumulated throughout a student’s middle school years. Students should still follow ECS documentation and verification requirements for all submitted hours.

The distinction is designed to make service a meaningful graduation distinction. ECS will award students a certificate presented at the final Closing Ceremony in 8th grade, graduation cords, and recognition in the graduation program.

Any hours earned in 6th through 8th grade may count. A few examples include: Sidewalk helpers in the first week of school, Pride Ride assistance, take-down and set-up of spaces usually before school, etc.