Keep service requirement for Gilroy high school students

Trustees should not back away from the requirement for Gilroy high school students to log 80 hours of community service prior to graduation. That’s 20 hours a year to give back to the community. It’s a reasonable expectation, and one that builds community spirit. To paraphrase the late President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your community can do for you, ask what you can do for your community.”
The benefits of student service hours are numerous: knowledge, interaction, appreciation, compassion, understanding for the student and, for the community, the fresh perspective and vitality of youth.
This is the first year of “impact” – meaning that seniors who have not fulfilled the requirement established years back will not receive a diploma. The number isn’t clear yet, but it’s upwards of 150 and that has some crying foul.
Gilroy Unified School District trustees should listen, but they should not throw in the towel on such a noble and beneficial idea. That said, examining the system set up to align students and service hours, is a worthwhile exercise. There should be no excuse as to why a student couldn’t fulfill the minimum requirement.
Do Chistopher and Gilroy high students need to attend mandatory presentations on volunteer possibilities? Could there be a student service day in the quad where sign-ups could be taken? Point is: Don’t abandon the core value, but do look at how to facilitate placing students with different organizations to fulfill the service requirement.